A Few Detentions and A Story
by Io.sono.Emilia
Summary: James Potter and Lily Evans are both seventh years at Hogwarts. They're about to have an interesting year, complete with detentions, pranks, confusion, and laughter, in which they get through school, make some trouble and maybe sort out their feelings.
1. The Unbelievable Head

**A FEW DETENTIONS AND A STORY**

**Chapter One - The Unbelievable Head**

James Potter awoke to sunshine shining through his window. He leaned up on one elbow to look at his clock on the bedside table. "10:30" read the display.

"It's only ten-thirty, James," he mumbled. "Go back to bed. The train doesn't leave until eleven."

He let his head drop back onto the pillow. Then, his eyes snapped open and he fell out of bed. "OH MERLIN!" he shouted. A lump on the bed across the room flew apart with a squawk, and another youth fell out of bed.

"SIRIUS! Wake up! It's ten-thirty-one! Get up! We're going to be late!" James gathered up his clothes that had been neatly laid on foot of his bed by his mother, then ran to the door and yanked it open. There was a loud _CRACK _and James jumped backward. Another youth was standing in the doorway, laughing.

"Hurry up, James! You too, Sirius! We're going to be late!" Remus Lupin stood there, fully dressed and neat. His trunk lay beside him, probably perfectly packed. James dashed around him to the bathroom.

Sirius had untangled himself from his sheets by now, and started pulling on plain Muggle clothes, including a pair of black pants with holes in the knees which he used for Quidditch. He then started throwing the rest of his clothes and the neat stack of books, also organized by Mrs. Potter, into his black trunk, and the sheets on the floor, onto the bed. He then enchanted his trunk to fly ahead of him and down the stairs. Remus was now descending these stairs, just so he wouldn't laugh too hard at his two friends.

James pelted out of the bathroom, his hair damp from his shower, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of faded blue denims. Five minutes later, he came out with his trunk floating beside him and a satchel which he was trying to put over his head without strangling himself. He ran down the stairs three at a time and jumped the last six. His trunk followed him down the staircase, and his father stopped it when it reached the bottom. Mr. Potter was calmly sitting in a chair in the dining room corner, reading the Wizard newspaper, _The Daily Prophet_.

James kissed his mother and started eating a rushed breakfast. Sirius was eating a bit slower then his host and best friend, but he still looked groggy from the rather rude awakening.

With a glance at the watch on his wrist, James saw that they only had a handful of minutes before they really, _really_ had to leave. He stood quickly, but before he reached his mother to say goodbye, he stopped. With a sigh, he dropped to the floor and sat cross-legged.

"Um, James? What are you doing?" asked the brown-haired woman, kneeling down beside her son.

"Just trying to relax for a moment."

"Well, I would've woken you two earlier but considering how late that little Quidditch sparing match went last night, I figured you could use the rest."

He smiled at his mother, and looked at Sirius.

"Well, I appreciate it. The sound victory I achieved last night definitely deserved a good sleep-in," he boasted haughtily. His mother laughed when Sirius threw a piece of toast at James's head. James brushed away the crumbs, and continued talking to his mother. "Though you missed your chance to wake me up for my last first day of school, mum."

Mrs. Potter shrugged. "I'm sure I'll have another opportunity sometime or other. Perhaps this summer when you feel it necessary to sleep until two." She reached down to help him off the hardwood floor. He hugged and kissed her again, and then ran over to his Dad and hugged him as well. He Accio-ed his broom as he walked over to his trunk and stood next to his two best friends. "I love you!" he said to his parents—who were smiling and shaking their heads at their dear and only son—gave a quarter turn and, with a loud crack, Disapparated.

A thin red-headed girl stepped onto Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, and smiled at the sight that greeted her. A deep red steam engine stood huffing on the rails. Children were hanging out the windows, saying their last goodbyes. A few smaller children, most likely first years, clung to their parents. Lily came out of her reverie when someone bumped into her from behind.

"Ouch!" she said, spinning around to see whose trunk or trolley had bumped into her ankles. Three boys stood behind her; the one who had bumped into her was smiling his trademark smirk. "Potter, watch where you're pushing that stupid trunk!"

James Potter was the type of boy whom Lily despised. In fact, he was the very boy she despised. He was arrogant, rude, and full of himself. Lily would not allow herself to be brought under by this black-haired, hazel-eyed, tall wizard. She disliked him greatly; any of her friends would be able to tell you that much.

The two boys standing behind him were just as handsome, Lily admitted to herself; Sirius Black looked much like James, except for his dark eyes. His was the same height, but not as thin. Remus Lupin was the smartest one of the group, in Lily's opinion, and possessed a quiet charm that more than made up for his lack of arrogant, breathtaking features that _some_ young men _thought_ they possessed. Remus was a prefect and she hoped the new Head Boy.

(Lily Evans was the most beautiful girl James had ever seen. She had bright auburn hair and eyes the color of emeralds. James thought that she was so wonderful, not only for her amazing looks, but for the genius that was found inside her brain, and the bravery that got her a rightful place in Gryffindor. She stood up for herself and James loved her for that. He had been trying to get her to go out with him for a very long time, but she either said no right away, or slapped him and then said no. Or said no, then slapped him, and then said no again. The last time he had asked her, the handprint hadn't gone away for three days. Moony and Padfoot enjoyed teasing him about that. James figured she must've enchanted it somehow.)

"Sorry, Evans. Maybe you should move away from the barrier if you don't want to be run over by people coming through," said Potter with a chuckle. Lily rolled her eyes, exhaled sharply and turned around. She heard behind her a smack and some mumbling, which happened to be James wondering why he had just said such a stupid thing.

"LILY!" shouted two girls at the same time. Two girls in Muggle attire came running to Lily. They threw their arms about Lily and hugged her.

"Oh!" she said as she was squeezed. "Josey," she said, addressing the blonde, "How are you? And you, Nikeia?" now addressing the taller girl with long black hair. The girls smiled.

"We're doing fine! And what about you?" asked Nikeia. All three girls smoothed out their clothing, and made sure they also looked fine. Nikeia's denim skirt and white tank top, and Josey's flared blue pants and jacket caused them to look very much like very lucky Muggles.

"Oh, I'm doing wonderful now!" she said, as she smoothed her rumpled long-sleeved white shirt and her baggy green pants.

"What about that sister of yours? Is she finally being nice?" asked Josey "By the way, I love these pants!" she said, tugging at the pocket in a playful manner.

Lily laughed and shook her head. "No, Petunia still-" She was unable to finish her sentence as the warning whistle for the train sounded. "Dumbledore and Merlin!" exclaimed Lily. She, with the help of her friends, pulled her luggage off the trolley, which was then pushed away by a kind man returning to Platform 9. After calling "Thank you!" over her shoulder, they got her trunk onto the train and started walking down the passage.

"Lily, we're over here," said Nikeia, tugging Lily's sleeve toward the front. They walked along the train and finally deposited the trunk on the floor of a compartment. With a sly smile to her two friends, Lily bent down and opened the large trunk.

"What are you doing?" asked Josey, her eyebrows lifted in confusion.

Lily pulled something from the trunk, and hid it behind her back as she stood and turned.

"What?" asked her two friends.

"Well, it's not much, but I got a letter over the summer."

"Did you?" asked Nikeia and Josey at the same time.

"Yes," Lily said, biting her lip over her smile.

"Was it…" the two girls asked, and Lily could tell they were attempting to hide their excitement.

Lily smiled and pulled the shiny Head Girl badge out from behind her back. Nikeia and Josey squealed with joy at the badge, and Lily smiled.

"Of course you'd get it!" cried Nikeia amid her laughter.

"Nonsense! There are smarter girls than…" Lily caught the look her two friends were giving her and stopped talking. She shrugged and then said, "I'll talk to you two later. I have to go up front to the Prefects compartment."

Right then, the train gave a lurch and they started on their journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For some, like the three girls sharing a compartment, it was their final journey by train.

She put on her black robe, but didn't bother buttoning it up. She fastened the badge on her chest, walked to a compartment at the head of the train, and waited for the Head Boy to show up. When Remus passed by the window, she was surprised that he took a seat in one of the Prefects' compartments. Her eyebrows furrowed and she wondered.

Then, the conceited Potter showed up a few minutes later, his hands in his pockets and his robe thrown carelessly open, at the Head's compartment. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Potter, your friends are farther down the train. Why don't you find them and start working on a prank?" she said huffily.

Potter merely chuckled and straightened his robe. There, on the front of his robe, next to the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain badge, shone the Head Boy badge.

Lily gasped.

"Congratulations, Evans; I always knew you would be the best in our year. Honestly, I'm as surprised as you are that I'm Head Boy."

Potter entered the compartment and sat down, putting his feet on the seat across from him. Lily slumped against the her seat.

"You? Head Boy? Very funny, Potter. Did you steal that badge from Remus?"

"No, I didn't, Evans." And to prove his point, he pulled from the pocket of his pants a folded piece of parchment. He handed it to Lily. She snatched it from his hands and looked at the address on the front.

_James Potter_

_Second Bedroom, Potter Manor_

_Seventeen Victoria Drive_

_Birmingham, England_

Lily glanced up at Potter, who was smiling. She opened the letter, read a bit, and gasped. It indeed said that _HE_, James Potter, was Head Boy of Hogwarts. He had not been a prefect the previous two years—Remus had been the other Gryffindor prefect. How had James become the Head Boy? Especially with his dislike and disregard of rules and regulations?

She folded the letter back up and flipped it at Potter.

"Hurry up, then, we have to go and talk to the prefects." She'd talked to Dumbledore and McGonagall later about this outrage. She slid the compartment door open with a slam and walked across the hall to the new prefects' compartment.

**Author's Notes:**

Hello! Thanks for reading. This was originally published on Mugglenet Fanfiction (under "LaneTechFreshie") starting in 2005, and I put it up here later.

Throughout the latter half of 2010 and the first half of 2011, I re-edited this story. The changes were mostly to fix stray (and annoying) grammar and spelling errors, but also to rework some plot points in an effort to stay truer to canon. I also updated the style; having written this story so long ago, my writing has definitely developed (and I would say gotten better), so I edited to reflect that. (I apologize for the errors that were in the story before all this editing. I found them immensely distressing when I reread my chapters. Heartbreaking, really.)

Big "thank yous" go to the three people who helped edit/nitpick the first edition of this novel, all Mugglenet Fanfiction users, **violagirl**, **fairiesandcream**, and **Omagus. **

Of course, as a disclaimer, I'm not JK Rowling. The Potterverse does not belong to me, but I am in it and love it.

Oh yeah! "Nikeia" is pronounced "ni kee yah." There are twenty fours prefects total: two per year means six prefects per house. I've kept Remus a prefect, so that means, including the Head Students, there are twenty five students who are either prefects or Heads.

Please keep reading! I hope you enjoy it!


	2. The Trainride

**Chapter Two - The Trainride**

James didn't pay much attention to what Lily was saying; whether that was a good thing or a bad, he wasn't sure. He knew the rules; every rulebreaker had to know the rules in order to insure that they were properly broken. And anyway, in between watching Lily's hair flick back and forth with the rocking of the train, and her hands accentuating what she was saying, he learned anything he hadn't know already.

"Well, Potter," said Lily through gritted teeth. "Have you anything to add?"

"No," said James, looking around at the other students in the carriage. "I think Miss Evans covered it perfectly." Lily rolled her eyes and bid good day to the rest of the people in the carriage. James followed after her, with Remus right behind him.

"I hope you had a good summer, Evans," said James, as Lily turned into a compartment with her two friends, to whom he smiled.

"Well, it was much better without you hanging around asking me out all the time," said Lily, turning around to face him.

James's face fell. "Merlin, all I did was ask you a small question," he said, with a undertone of hurt in his words. He turned away and continued away down the train.

He could hear Remus being greeted by the other girls, but only Remus heard Nikeia's next statement: "You know Lily, I really wouldn't mind having James ask _me _a question. Maybe you should be nicer." Had James turned around at that moment, he would've seen Remus smile wryly.

"I don't understand why she hates me so much!" exclaimed James as her entered the compartment and sat down next to Sirius. He snatched a Chocolate Frog—it was already open—from Sirius's hands and began eating it.

"What? Who? Who hates you?" asked Peter, the one always just slightly behind the other three Marauders.

"Wormtail! Try to keep up!" said Sirius, flicking a wrapper at Peter.

"Lily Evans. That is who hates James, and that is who James is talking about."

Peter's face brightened up with understanding at Remus's words.

"Oh! She really hates you?" he asked. Another wrapper was thrown at him. James just smiled, wearily.

"Yes, she does, and I really wish I could understand her!"

"Well," said Moony, opening a package of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "Girls are difficult to understand, from my limited experience, but asking her out as much as you did last year probably didn't help you any. Why don't you let up with that this year?"

"Okay," conceded James, "Granted. I'll stop that… I'll try to stop that. But just now, when I asked her how her summer went, she nearly bit my head off."

When Sirius's eyes widened and he almost choked, Remus said, "It's true. He asked her all nice like and she just said 'it was much better without you hanging around.'"

"Oh, that little red-head!" said Sirius. He fiercely popped a bean from Remus's box in his mouth, chewed, and grimaced very animatedly.

Lily watched Remus until she saw him enter his compartment. Then, she turned and sat down.

"I don't want to be nicer!" she said, in answer to Nikeia's remark. "He's arrogant, and rude, and has no qualms breaking the rules! It just makes me angry how many things he's gotten away with!" she said loudly.

"Well, true, that describes James pretty nicely," said Josey. "But. For everything he's gotten away with, he's gotten in trouble for something else. But you should still try to give him a chance. He actually is rather nice. And he does get good marks. Just because he makes trou—oh!" Josey broke off suddenly and looked to Nikeia. "Oh dear! Could it be, Lily, that you don't want people to think that you fancy him, so you dwell on his bad side?" she asked, to Lily's horror.

Nikeia gasped and smiled, understanding where Josey was taking this. "It's a rather cliché thought, but _do_ you fancy him?" she asked.

Lily looked disgusted. "No!" she said with gusto. "That is just—Ugh!"

Nikeia and Josey nodded knowingly.

"I don't!" said Lily fiercely. Her two best friends appeared to drop the subject, though they smirked at each other and raised their eyebrows.

Lily threw a Bertie Bott's bean at each of them.

As they were nearing Hogwarts, Lily walked up and down the train in her school robes and began telling people to get ready. As she came up to one compartment, she could hear words being spoken rather heatedly. Looking into the compartment, she found three first years; two of whom were facing the other, who was speaking.

"No, Slytherin is the best! All the wizards from that house are the greatest and become wonderful things, like my father!" The sandy-haired boy threw his head up in pride and put his small hands on his hips. This boy looked angry, but nowhere near as angry as the girl did: she looked ready to slap someone.

"Whatever is going on in here?" asked Lily, stepping into the small room. The two children looked up to Lily; the prideful boy turned around quickly, as if annoyed to be interrupted.

"That boy," said the girl, "was saying that Gryffindor is a rubbish house! So, I got mad."

Lily looked to the second boy as if to make sure that this was true and he nodded.

"Well, that is complete rubbish itself," said Lily, "Every House has its merits. Gryffindor is just as great as the others."

"Stupid girl!" shot the blonde boy, and Lily's eyes widened.

"How dare you speak to me in such a way?"

"Well, who cares? Gryffindors are all stuck-up people. And I don't have to listen to you!" The boy stuck out his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I beg to differ with you, young sir!" said a voice from behind Lily. She turned her head and saw James Potter standing there, an angry look on his fine features. His voice had deepened slightly. "As she is older than you, and the Head Girl, she deserves the same amount of respect you would give a professor. Now, apologize and then you can gather your things and leave this compartment, or sit here quietly and leave the other children alone!"

The little Slytherin's eyes widened and he shot back with such ferocity that Lily was thoroughly taken aback once again: "Just you wait until I can perform a decent curse! All of you will be on the receiving end of the fiercest hex that you have ever felt in your life!"

"Oh, I highly doubt that!" said Potter, succeeding magnificently to hide a smile. "Miss Evans here can be mighty fierce when it comes to curses. And when it comes to physical blows." Potter looked at Lily and smiled slightly. She gave him a look that said: "Don't make me show them what you mean."

The little boy scoffed rudely and climbed onto the seat, as if to pull his luggage from the rack. Lily watched as Potter smiled at the attempt, then walked over and pulled the trunk down. The Slytherin, as he would no doubt become, bristled at the help and, after grabbing the handle of his trunk, kicked Potter's shin and walked out of the compartment with his head held high. He made sure to hit Lily's arm. Potter inhaled fiercely and grabbed his attacked limb. He hobbled around a bit, but was pulled down by the little girl.

"Are you all right?" she asked, placing a little hand on his leg. James smiled and nodded.

"You kids just get fiercer each year!"

Though forcing back a chuckle, Lily managed to speak calmly to the other children. "You better put on your robes. And forget what that boy said. Gryffindor is the best house," she whispered conspiratorially. Everyone chuckled and Potter stood up.

"Yeah, you better do as Miss Evans said. We'll see you at the Sorting." With a wave and a smile, the two seventh years walked out.

Turing back, Lily said to the children: "I'm sure you two will make your house proud, whichever you are in. I will see all of you later, I promise." She walked out into the corridor and turned to see that Potter had waited for her. She didn't know exactly what to say, but since Josey was behind Potter—and glaring—Lily knew she had better say something nice.

"Thank you; I appreciated that."

Potter grinned at Lily's words.

"Well, you're welcome, Evans. I am here to help you whenever you need it. We are in the same house, after all. I'll see you later," he said as he smiled and walked past her.

"I think he likes you," said the not-so-angry boy. Apparently, the two kids had been listening to the exchange of words between James and Lily, and intently, too. Lily was surprised at the boy's boldness, and had the distinct impression that he would be a Gryffindor. She chuckled, though she was slightly flustered, and kept on walking down the train. Josey walked with her, having found the Trolley Lady and purchased a Cauldron Cake.

"And I think she likes him, too," the little girl added as Lily walked away. The other boy nodded and started a game of Exploding Snap.


	3. Back in Hogwarts

**Chapter Three - Back in Hogwarts**

The four Marauders walked into the Great Hall and smiled, happy to be back in the building they had learned to call home. The magical ceiling showed the pink, red and orange of the fading sunset. Dumbledore and the other teachers were sitting at the Staff Table on the dais. James caught Dumbledore's eye and smiled; for however much Dumbledore upheld the rules, he still smiled at many of the Marauders' pranks.

The four took their place at the Gryffindor table and waited to hear the song that the Sorting Hat sang every year.

Then, Professor McGonagall started calling names of the timid first years.

"Adams, Lara," was the first called, and everyone cheered as she became a Hufflepuff.

"Baden, Joshua" was next; James's eyes narrowed with the recognition of the familiar face. When the kid was Sorted into Slytherin, James didn't cheer as exuberantly as he normally did for the other houses; his shin was still throbbing from being hit by the new Slytherin kid.

A few names later "Donnelly, Samuel" was called and James smiled broadly as he watched the other boy he had met on the train step up to the hat. When he became a Gryffindor, James made everyone between him and the front of the hall move down a seat, just so young Samuel could be seated next to James. McGonagall looked as if she were hiding a smile to see James doing something so unlike him, and yet very characteristic.

"Terra, Monica," came to the front quite a few names later, and James recognized her as the feisty girl from the train. He clapped extra loud when she, too, became a Gryffindor. Once again, James made everyone move down a seat.

When the Sorting was done, McGonagall brought the stool away and Dumbledore stood.

"And so begins another year. To the first years: do not be shy; make friends, for the people sitting all around you will be here for you for many years. And older years: do not be afraid to slide over a bit to make room for a person who may become a friend." Dumbledore seemed to smile right at James, Samuel and Monica. "And now, we will eat!" Dumbledore clapped and the food appeared. James and Frank Longbottom, a fellow seventh year, had to make sure Samuel and Monica didn't fall out of their seats when the food appeared.

When the shock had washed over, Monica looked up and down the table in awe. Her eyes stopped on a certain face. She gasped. "Miss Evans!" she called and starting waving. Lily looked up in surprise, but grinned nonetheless, returning the wave.

"Hey, Lily," said Frank, "Switch seats with me so you can sit next to your young friends."

"Oh thanks, Frank!" said Lily, rising. "Oh Alice, you don't mind, do you?"

James only assumed Lily asked this out of politeness, but detected a bit of teasing in her words—just another thing he liked about her. She knew full well that Frank and Alice Walker didn't mind sitting next to each other at all. Everyone in Gryffindor knew that they fancied each other; it was just a matter of time until they admitted their feelings, shy lot that they were. Alice blushed and shook her head. Lily walked around the table and squeezed Frank's arm in thanks as they passed each other. As she sat down, James winked at her and she glared back; thankfully the younger ones didn't see her decidedly un-Head-Girl-like action.

"So, how was the boat ride?" asked Lily, scooping some casserole onto her plate.

"Oh, I nearly fell in, but it was great!" announced Samuel with a grin.

Everyone who heard his excitement laughed.

"It was pretty fun!" said Monica. "And cold, too!"

Lily smiled and kept asking the two children questions. She and the Marauders and everyone else who was listening learned all about the two first years sitting in the middle of upperclassman.

Monica had a Muggle mother and a Wizard father. She claimed that as they were so in love when they met, that he told her all about himself and his world and she was as right as rain with that. She also had a brother who had graduated from Hogwarts. James recognized the look of concentration on Lily's face: she was trying to match the name with something or someone she had read about in the library. After a few moments, she squealed.

"Oh! You mean _that_ Zachary Terra! He was your brother?"

Monica nodded.

"Who was Zachary Terra?" asked Peter, "Other than her brother?"

Lily rambled off a bunch of clubs and awards he had received, and nobody seemed to understand. Noticing this, she ended her speech with: "He was a Ravenclaw Seeker."

James, the other Marauders and Frank gasped, finally recognizing the name.

"Oh, right! He helped win the Quidditch Cup for Ravenclaw a couple times! I heard he was really good!" said James, and Sirius nodded.

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes, like she did so often. James saw this and said: "Samuel, Monica, if you ever need help with homework or anything, Lily is the person you need to talk to." Monica smiled excitedly, and James could see the makings of another Lily Evans right before him.

"And if you ever need to get a detention," started Evans, fixing an expression on mock kindness on her pretty face, "Potter and his friends are the ones to see."

James did an excellent job of hiding his frustration, even while he pretended to bow in his seat, catching the eager look Sam threw him. Only Sirius seemed to sense his hidden emotion.

Evans then asked Samuel about his family and received a brief family tree. He came from a wizarding family, but he was one-fourth Muggle. His grandmother had been a Muggle and therefore her child had been a half-blood, and that half-blood married a full-blood wizard.

After everyone told Sam and Monica a little about them, dinner was over and the prefects led the first years to their dormitories. James and Lily headed to the place where McGonagall had asked them to meet her to give them instructions.

When Lily asked her Head of House how James had been made Head Boy, McGonagall's eyebrow lifted.

"I do admit it is a bit of a shock but, Miss Evans, Potter did receive better marks than Mr. Lupin last year, and therefore earned his spot as Head Boy. That is, after all, what the Head Boy and Girl are, of course; the best in their year. While you have remained at top for all of your years, Miss Evans, Potter was not far from the top. I believe it was Potions that pushed Remus back, was it not?" McGonagall looked to James as they began to walk.

James nodded. "He's miserable at Potions."

"Yes, poor fellow. It is important to be able to brew a good potion. Now, if you will follow me to the dormitories." They followed their professor to somewhere near Gryffindor Tower. They stopped before a portrait of an old man with purple hair.

"The Head Boy and Girl are given a dormitory of their own every year. Inside, you will find a common room, two bedrooms, and a rather nice bathroom. Also, you will find a passageway to the Gryffindor common room, along with ones to the other common rooms, but you do not need to go there," said McGonagall. She spoke the passwords for the dormitory, and for the hallway to the Gryffindor common room: _fiddlesticks_ and _Gillyweed_, respectively.

"Don't forget that you will be required to do patrol on certain nights. Potter, Miss Evans will be able to explain that to you. Make sure you do not shirk your duties," McGonagall said, glaring at James.

He gave her a smirk, and nodded. She said goodnight, and left.

James bowed to Lily Evans, allowing her to enter first. She rolled her eyes, pushed open the door behind the portrait, and walked in. Just over the threshold she stopped, and James walked into her.

"Wha-" he started to say stopped as he looked into the room.

Before him, other than Lily (who smelled wonderful and had never been so close to him, really), was the common room of the Head Students. It was a small room—much smaller than the Gryffindor common room—but it was comfortably so. A mahogany table was set against a pair of windows on the right. The night sky outside the window was a deep blue, and speckled with stars. Four chairs were set around the table, each upholstered in the colors of each house: gold and red for Gryffindor, green and silver for Slytherin, yellow and black for Hufflepuff, and blue and bronze for Ravenclaw.

A fireplace was directly opposite the main entrance; a bright fire was burning behind a wide sofa and two armchairs, all a deep purple. A woven blanket was thrown over the back of the sofa. Two archways stood on either side of the fireplace; in the right a door stood ajar, and in the left, an archway opened onto a darkened hallway. The trim and floors of the room were all a rich mahogany wood, though a deep navy rug had been placed in front of the fireplace. A chess table stood against the left wall. A tapestry of a universe hung above on the grey stone walls.

"Wow," muttered Evans, taking a step forward. James kept walking until he was able to flop over the back over the couch and onto the seat.

He sighed contentedly.

Lily walked over to the partially opened door on the right and gasped as she opened it fully.

"Uh... James," she said. The young man started, surprised at the surname-only slip. Lily was gesturing to him, however. He groaned, but walked to her side.

"Swish!" he James, and pushed into the room. A bathroom of rich cream marble tile greeted them. The in-ground tub was wide and deep. A curtain hung from the ceiling, hiding the shower. James walked over to a small closet and opened it. A gold and red towel fell out into his hands.

"It must have been those house-elves," said James, commenting on how the towels were neatly folded and stacked. "I swear, one day someone is going to come up with some stupid organization to help them. And it's going to end up having some weird acronym for a name, like 'E.A.R.W.A.X.' or 'V.O.M.I.T.'". Evans didn't seem to appreciate his humor. Naturally.

Each of the four shelves in the closet held a set of towels, each of a different color: again the colors of each house. James nodded his satisfaction and met Lily's green eyes. She allowed a smile.

James gestured to a smaller door opposite the entrance. "Wonder where this goes..." He opened the door.

They saw only another hallway and windows behind that door. James gestured that he would find out where the hallway led. He stepped through the hallway and found nothing more than two set of doors and windows on the left, and windows in the wall on the right. He walked down to the end of the hallway just to see if there was anything special about it. There wasn't. It was just a hallway.

He stepped up to the first door on the left, and jumped when the window cleared; curtains had been thrown back, pushed apart by the red-haired Head Girl.

(Lily hadn't followed him into the hallway. Instead, she left the bathroom and walked across the common room to the archway to the left of the fireplace. There, she had found another hallway in which four paintings hung on the left wall, and two doors stood along the right. Above each of the paintings was a House symbol; Lily suspected these were the passageways to the different common rooms, as McGonagall had said. Assuming the other two doors were bedrooms, she opened the first door on her right. Her eyes widened as she took in the décor.

It was a bedroom, decorated in blue-purples, grays and whites. The bedspread was heavy white brocade, embroidered with lily-of-the-Nile flowers. The other bedclothes were periwinkle blue, as was the dressing gown laid across the foot of the bed. The carpet was a dark blue, and the hangings of the canopy bed were a light grey. A pine desk, chair, short wardrobe and nightstand stood in their proper places. A fireplace (lit with a hearty fire, of course) and a sofa occupied the corner to the left of the door. Her own brown trunk and school bag sat at the foot of her bed.

She found the presence of a window next to a second door rather curious, so she walked over to the window and pulled back the curtains.)

James watched as she jumped, then disappeared from view. The door opened, and Lily walked out into the hallway where James was standing.

"How did you get there?" she asked, hands on her hips.

(James thought it was a very adorable pose.)

"That other door in the bathroom leads to this hallway." He pointed to the door that led from the bathroom. "It doesn't continue past that wall. I was just about to open this door when you showed up through the window," concluded James.

"Oh," said Lily. She looked back down the hallway, and then said, "I guess the bathroom and the two bedrooms are aligned, with hallways on either side for easy access."

"Nice," James said. "What's in the other hall?"

"Portrait passages to the four common rooms."

"Well then, if this is your room…" He stuck his head past Lily (ignoring her squeak of displeasure) and examined the room. "I guess the other door leads to mine," James said, withdrawing and beginning to walk to the other door.

However, he stopped suddenly and examined both the window to his left, and the one to his right. They lined up perfectly. He realized that this allowed for the light to flow from outside into the hallway, and then into the bedroom.

He explained this to Lily; she only nodded.

A room that was identical in content to Lily's awaited James. It was laid out differently, and was decorated with a color scheme of royal blue and browns.

"Not bad, huh?" James asked, flopping onto his four-post bed.

Lily made a noncommittal sound. "I'll miss the girls though."

James sat up and looked at the Head Girl. "You're right. There'll be empty beds in the dormitories, right?"

"I suppose so," said Lily. (She had a feeling she'd enjoy the peace and quiet of her own common room to study for NEWTs, but she also felt she would like to spend a few nights in her old dormitory.) "Well, I am going to go to the common room. The one where everyone else is, I mean," said Lily, turning and leaving James's room.

He realized he had missed a moment to tease her about being in his room, alone with him, and just as quickly realized it was probably a good thing he hadn't said anything. He smiled, glad that he had shown some self-control.

"All right; I'll meet you out there," he called after her. However, he crept back to her room, and glanced into the clear, diamond-paned window in time to see Lily Evans flop onto her bed. James chuckled and went back into his room.

He walked to the other door and out into the hall, seeing the four paintings for the first time. James waited for Lily, then spoke the password—"Gillyweed"—to the belle who was in the portrait under the Gryffindor lion. The portrait swung forward and, after a fair-distanced walk, they came to the small space that was between the portrait of the Fat Lady, and the common room. Judging from the way people walked past, the hallway was not visible to anyone but Lily and James.

"James!" shouted Sirius, as Potter and Evans walked into the common room. "Wonderful! Now that you're here we can work on that prank!" Sirius pulled James over to the fire and pushed him onto the floor. The four began talking in hushed tones.

Lily, though, turned to watch her two friends run down the dormitory steps.

"Oh! Lily!" cried Nikeia, rushing to stand beside her. Josey was right behind her.

"How is your own private room? It is such a shame that we can't throw pillows at you anymore," whined Josey.

"Don't worry, I'll come visit you," responded Lily. "My room is rather gorgeous, though. Come on, I'll show you." Lily grabbed each friend's hand and led them to the corridor. They paused before the hallway.

"Um, Lily—there's nothing there," said Josey, confused. "It's just a blank stretch of stone,"

"I think only Potter and I can see it. We couldn't have other people sneaking into our common room, could we?" she said, smiling at her friends. "Here, take my hands, and step through." The three young women did this, and Josey and Nikeia made comments of surprise. Really, it wasn't much different from stepping through the barrier at King's Cross.

When they came to the apparently double-sided portrait, Lily spoke the passwood after telling Nikeia and Josey to cover their ears. Just as Lily had suspected, the two girls gasped and squealed as each new room was revealed.

Lily just smiled and chuckled.

Later that night, Lily was sitting in her own common room, reading a course book. She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece and noticed it was nearly time for her patrol shift to start.

"Oi, Potter!" she said. Potter had fallen asleep on the coach, his head hanging off one side and his over-robe in a pile on the floor. "Potter!" Lily called again, louder this time. Potter jolted and rubbed his eyes. "Come on, we have rounds to make." Lily picked up his robe and threw it at him. He brushed it away and groaned as he got up.

"Can't you just do them yourself?" he asked, groggily.

Lily scoffed, but in her head she realized this was something Potter would do.

"No, I can't. You're Head Boy and it's your responsibility as well. And, if McGonagall caught either of us alone, we would both get in trouble," Lily said heatedly. "And I don't want to ruin my detention-free record because of you, thank you."

Potter rubbed his eyes once more, grabbed his robe and stood. As he put it on, he said, "Well, I hate to pass up any chance to be alone in your company."

She glared at him, turned her back and walked off.

(James mimed strangling himself with his tie, realizing that was not a good way to start the year if he was going to try and win Lily, at last, to friendship.)

They caught no one out after hours except Peeves, hanging a bag of chalk from the ceiling, probably with the idea to drop it on some poor, unsuspecting first year's head. Lily managed to get him away by scaring him with the only person he listened to: the Bloody Baron.

They returned to their common room and, after a race to get the bathroom, Lily was first to shower.

James was sitting on the window ledge when Lily walked out in her bathrobe. She glared at Potter, figuring it was a pretty rude thing to wait outside the bathroom door, sitting on her windowsill, no less. Nevertheless, she didn't spare him a glance (though she did blush slightly at his raised eyebrow and smirk) and entered her room. She immediately pulled the curtains of her window shut.

James laughed softly and walked into the loo.

**Author's Notes: **I use the term "swish" at one point; it's something I heart when I was in England a few years back, so no, I'm not referring to the nothing-but-net basketball term.

I played with the idea of eliminating the Head's Dorm, but I realized that I had become a bit too important. So, I left it in.


	4. The Fight and the Punishment

**Chapter Four - The Fight and the Punishment**

A few days later, classes had started and everyone was settled, for the most part. It was Friday and everyone was eager to head outside, ready to start their first weekend back. The sky was blue, the grass was green and the giant squid was splashing around contentedly.

After meeting up after their last class—Potions for Lily, Arithmancy for Nikeia and Herbology for Josey—Nikeia and Josey insisted on stopping and saying hi to "the cutest boys in the school", less affectionately known to Lily as "Potter, Black, and Remus". (Peter didn't really count as "cute".) These men had just crossed their path, and were now walking before them.

Lily stayed back as her two friends said their greetings.

"Good afternoon, Evans," said Potter, leaving Remus and Black to the other girls. Peter was reading some book for a class none of the others were taking. Lily mumbled a greeting, which was more of an acknowledgement than an actual greeting.

"What did you think of Potions?" asked Potter.

Lily assumed he was just trying to be nice. He and Black were in her Potions class, as it was NEWT level, but they had left to find their other friends as soon as classed was called, so this was Potter's first chance to talk.

"Though, as Slughorn just loves you, I guess it doesn't matter. You _are_ a genius when it comes to Potions."

Lily smiled a rather forced smile. She couldn't necessarily deny it. She enjoyed Potions, and considered herself adept. Before she could respond further (perhaps with some quip about Potter's own aptitude), a greasy voice said, "Well, well, well."

Lily tensed: Severus Snape. Though his voice had deepened and changed since she first met him in the park so long ago, she would recognize it anywhere.

"The Marauder Four lowering themselves to converse with a-" he scoffed, "a Mudblood." Lily stiffened further and noticed James Potter clenching his fists; he was known to hate it when anyone dared to call Lily Evans a "Mudblood."

"And what's this? Potter getting ready to defend her? How... noble," said Snape again in his greasy voice. Potter moved forward, pulling his wand as he went.

Seeing what he was about to do, Lily pulled her own wand. Snape had been her friend for a good number of years; she wasn't going to let anyone fight her fight. Softly, but loudly enough for Potter to hear, she said, "_Incarcerous". _He was surprised, but managed to block the spell, sending it back towards Lily. She ducked, and turned around quickly to watch as Snape was bound in thick ropes. She was surprised that he had managed to stay on his feet.

Then, all of a sudden, Snape was hanging upside down by his ankles; Lily assumed Potter had used his favorite hex, _Levicorpus_, which was actually created by Snape, though perhaps Potter didn't know that. Snape cursed and lost no time in being as rude as he could to both Lily and James.

"YOU MISERABLE, PATHETIC, LITTLE, MUDB-" He didn't finish his sentence for in a half-a-heartbeat, Lily had spun around and swiftly punched him soundly in the face—no matter that he was upside down. She had finally gotten tired of his disrespect. One second she was remembering their early friendship and then their falling-out. In the next split second, she had hit him.

Everyone had stopped to watch; everyone being everyone in the corridor, in fact. They all stood frozen in place.

No one noticed the silent figure standing at the back of the astonished crowd, her hair pulled up in a tight black bun.

Whispers spread over the crowd. Had Lily Evans—good, rule abiding Lily Evans—just punched someone? And had she not only punched someone, but broken a rule (or two) and used defensive magic in the corridors?

As the figure moved forwards, the people it passed moved not, noticed not.

People looked at each other either silent in amazement or whispering violently.

Lily stood facing Snape, face murderous. "I am telling you now: never, ever call me that again!" She raised her hand and slapped him.

"Miss Evans!" said the fierce, shocked voice of Professor McGonagall.

Lily took a deep breath—if there was someone standing right next to her, they would have heard it shake—and turned to face the Professor. She noticed the surprised look on everyone's face, and the hint of appreciation, and even jealousy, in Potter's eyes.

"I cannot, and would not believe, had I not just seen it with my own eyes, that you had just hit a fellow student! I am ashamed and shocked! Detention, I fear, is in order." Lily's eyes widened but she said nothing. Her first detention…

"And for you, as well, Mr Potter..."

James opened his mouth but McGonagall cut him off, guessing at what he was going to say.

"Yes, Potter, Snape is going to receive detention as well, but only one. You and Miss Evans will serve three. Now everyone; back on your way! You are no doubt late for enjoying the outdoors!" McGonagall turned away and, over her shoulder, added: "Thirty points from Gryffindor and ten from Slytherin!"

Lily watched the Professor walk away and then turned back to Snape. Her brow furrowed and Snape's eyebrow rose slightly; Lily hoped it was in fear. She pointed her wand at Snape and uttered a curse. She was thoroughly shocked when another curse flew over her shoulder and hit Snape at the same times hers did. Snape uttered a quickly cut-off shriek and was out cold as he fell from the air.

"Evans! Potter!" screeched McGonagall.

Lily had the bravery to smirk at Snape's form before turning to McGonagall again.

"Another three detentions and twenty points," shouted McGonagall before she turned and walked away, her face angry. Lily picked up her bag and turned; head held high she walked back to the Gryffindor common room, careful to kick Snape on the way past him. No one there would forget the way she walked away and with the coolness that she took out Snape.

Lily sat in her common room later that night, contemplating the day's events. She couldn't believe she had done such a stupid and disobedient thing. She had hexed a student and then punched him—no matter that she dearly wanted to.

And it wasn't just any student, it was the man that had first told her about magic and Hogwarts. It felt like a betrayal of some sort, despite their falling out a few years back. Their friendship had been close, companionable and nice, regardless that he ended up a Slytherin and she a Gryffindor. Once James Potter began taking a liking to her, and a hatred to Snape, their friendship had frayed. Snape's love of the Dark Arts was the final Bertie Bott's bean that overflowed the box.

And, as if hexing Severus wasn't enough, she had received a detention; her first. Which would be followed by five others. _And_ she had gotten fifty points taken away from her House. She shuddered to think that the Marauders would be proud.

She drew her knees up and a tear fell.

Little did Lily know, that no one in Gryffindor mourned the loss of so many points, if it meant Snape would be out of the hallways for a few days. In fact, many people had fallen asleep with smiles on their faces as they watched Snape being lifted up into the air and then punched in the nose by Lily Evans.


	5. Beside the Lake

**Chapter Five - Beside the Lake**

Saturday after dinner found Lily in the common room working on an essay for her Astronomy professor. It was due Monday, but she was never one for waiting to the last minute. She did not notice when James walked into the common room, nor that he had thrown his school robe (complete with Head Boy badge) over his blue denims and t-shirt. She, perhaps, would have assumed he was attempting to make sure other people still knew that he was Head Boy even as he wore Muggle clothes. Would the action have been born from arrogance, or the acceptance of responsibility? She didn't know, because she wasn't thinking of it.

James, however, noticed the red hair of the girl he loved. He stopped to think for a moment.

Was it really "love"?

Perhaps not _true_ love. Yet. But he certainly loved everything about her. Every quality drew him to her; every quality was beautiful and so interesting. He even liked her flaws. They were few, and not really flaws, but he thought them adorable. Like how she sometimes got ink in her hair when was studying hard, or how she sometimes (somehow) managed to misjudge distances and step too early, and thus trip over the Portrait Hole or down a step. (She had once been forced to accept his help when she stepped into the trick step.) In general, it was probably the fact that she was very much his opposite that he liked so much. She was organized, thought of others first, was quiet, kept to herself, and she wasn't very popular. Although after that incident with Snape her reputation had gained another facet beyond "good student".

When James had first really met her, in their second year—the Marauders hadn't met many other students as they had stuck together like tissue to glue in their first year—he had thought she was infuriatingly amazing. Had he thought about it, he might have chalked it up to a twelve-going-on-thirteen-year-old's fascination with girls, and therefore ignored it. (But since when do young men think?) He had wondered why she seemed to hate him so much, but that feeling of bewilderment grew to respect; who could resist him? Only a special person. Even if he was a twelve-going-on-thirteen-year-old troublemaker. Over the years, the respect grew to an utter desire to find out how her mind worked. And why she disliked him so. The respect and desire mingled to form a passion for her that he hoped he could one day act on. But he had been implored by some very wise minds to let that day come on its own. It would be tough, but he'd have to trust another's wisdom.

Lily's view of the matter was quite a bit different. She had watched James play around in his first year, and even though he was a very good student, she had no intention of growing to know him. Even when he was a twelve year old boy, she felt that he would not be someone whom it would be beneficial to know. Over the years, her resistance to James had not abated. He occupied a place in her heart, for sure. It just happened to be the one that was reserved for ill feelings.

And yet, she couldn't say she hated him. Yes, he drove her mad, and made her very angry at times, and enjoyed breaking rules, but a very small part of her actually admitted that there was an almost enjoyable feeling that accompanied breaking a rule, now that she actually had the experience. And he did have a flair for the dramatic that managed to elevate some of the Maruaders' pranks to almost art. He was clever, she'd give him that. Nevertheless, he was a man she would not like. And anyway, she couldn't hate him; he hadn't done anything to merit such a strong feeling. Being asked out nearly every day last year was annoying, but she was above such petty emotions like hate.

Naturally, the musing of both our main characters lasted not very long. Nearly three seconds after James entered the common room (not that Lily had noticed), he spoke.

"Good evening, Miss Evans." He figured he should start now with taking the advice of a wiser man. Remus had talked to him over the summer, and he realized patience would be difficult, but he really hoped it would play out in the end.

Lily jumped slightly, having been startled from her homework, and turned around. James stood there with a smile on his face, his untidy black hair looking worse than ever.

"Good evening," Lily said tiredly. She assumed that giving him her complete attention would get rid of him quickest. Otherwise he'd spend precious minutes trying to get her attention. So, she turned to sit sideways in her chair, crossed her ankles, and looked up at Potter.

"Well, I was wondering if you would want to meet me to go to detention later," suggested James. Remus had told him to let up on the asking-out bit, but he didn't say stop completely; and he wasn't asking her out _really_.

"Um..." Lily was taken aback a bit; he hadn't dithered at all. He got right to the point. Even if it was a rather odd request and the point could _almost_ be a date request. He hadn't even said it as cockily as he normally would. She was curious—even if she didn't want to admit it. "I suppose so. I guess it'll be easier to make sure you're on time then. Meet me at the portrait at five-to-eight," said Lily, turning back to her essay.

James smiled and, with a word of parting, began to leave the common room, but turned back, standing with the painting open.

"Oh, Evans?" said James kindly. "Um, if you want to join us when you're done working, we'll be by the lake. It's pretty warm out, and the sun will still be out for a while yet. But, if you don't want to come out, you know, I'll see you at five-to-eight. Or perhaps even before that." He nodded good-bye and left.

Lily pondered the suggestion and, after putting the finishing touches on her essay, she went to her room. She changed out of her uniform into a comfortable pair of Muggle clothes. Her robe and badge she left on, of course. (Being a very bright girl, she had noticed that Potter was wearing his. And she would now be out-done.)

She exited out one of the school's back doors and breathed deep the early evening air. It had been a warm day; probably one of the last before fall really came to the highlands. She walked quietly and even from where she was standing she spotted those for whom she was looking. She sighed before continuing to walk over.

James and Sirius were tossing something back and forth. Peter was reading the same book as he had been a day ago and it seemed that he had not gotten very far. Nikeia and Josey (who, adversely to Lily, enjoyed the company of the Marauders on occasion) were sitting with their backs to the castle on the edge of a pier that jutted out into the lake, their feet dangling in the water. Remus was also reading, or would have been if his eyes were not closed and his head leaning against a tree. Lily started to walk towards Nikeia and Josey, but Potter called out to her.

"Hey, Evans! You joined us!"

"The day's too nice to spend it entirely inside. I've finished my homework, and didn't have anything else to do. So it was more my own volition that your suggestion."

He raised his eyebrow at her excuse, but nodded.

"Wait… homework?" asked Sirius, pausing. "All the essays that you've been assigned, all of which are probably due next week, and you're done? With them all?" he asked, amazed.

Lily nodded, the look on her face saying "Well, yeah." Sirius's eyes were wide and he shook his head in amazement.

"Wait, why am I even surprised? Of course, you've finished." He paused. "You sure do know how to pick the girls, Prongs."

Lily and James did the same thing at that instant, and that was glaring at Sirius. James threw something at his (traitorous) friend. Sirius caught it with a cry of surprise.

"Try to kill me, why don't you!"

"I can try…" admitted James.

Lily's lips quirked in a smile against her will. She looked at the ball in the large glove in Sirius's hand. It was small, white with red stitching. Her brow furrowed.

"What are you guys doing, playing with an American baseball?" she asked. She knew what it was. Before she came to Hogwarts, she had gone to an American city on a trip with her family. Her uncle, whom they were visiting, brought them to watch the pretty confusing game called baseball. But it didn't seem confusing to her uncle, but maybe that was because she wasn't American.

"Oh, that's what he called it!" said Sirius. "Well, one of the guys was playing with his mate and we asked if we could see what he was doing. He told us that it was an American sport, played with this ball and these glove things-" he held up his hand to show the tan glove-like mitt- "and we started playing with them after he and his mate decided to go and swim. He said something about needing eighteen players for two teams and there being nine outings or innings or something like that. He tried to explain the game to us but I gave up even trying to understand." Sirius threw the baseball back to James.

Lily nodded, whispering, "Of course you did." She chuckled softly and went over to Nikeia and Josephine. Sirius was a Marauder—and therefore very devious—but his humor was appreciated.

The other two girls looked up when they heard her footsteps on the wooden pier.

"Well, fancy meeting you here!" said Nikeia, patting the wood next to her. Lily sat down and was pleasantly surprised to find that the pier was low and close enough to the water that she could get her feet wet.

With her feet in the water, she leaned back on her arms.

"Where did the pier come from?" she asked.

"Remus had the idea, and James Transfigured an old log. Isn't it nice? We'll have to ask Dumbledore if we can keep it!"

Lily laughed. "You make it sound like it's a stray dog!"

Nikeia rolled her eyes, but laughed with the other two girls.

"So, James did this?" asked Lily, surprised.

"Mmhmm. He is very good at Transfiguration, after all."

"Oh yes, I suppose so…"

"So, what are you doing here?"

"Well, Potter did mention that everyone was out here, but I figured it would be a nice way to spend the evening since I am done with homework. So, here I am," she said, lifting her face to the sun. "It really is beautiful out!"

Josey suddenly sat up, and hit Lily's arm. "Wait, did I just hear you correctly?" she asked. "Did you just say that you listened to James? And did you really just call him 'James'?"

"I'm more focused on the fact that she said that she finished her homework. That's a lot of essays," murmured Nikeia.

Lily spared Nikeia a short glance, and then turned to Josey. "Well, it _was_ a good idea and I did need some fresh air," said Lily indignantly. "And yes, I'm done with my homework. And, no, I didn't call him 'James'."

Nikeia and Josey looked at each other. "Yes, you did," Josey insisted.

"No, I didn't. I said that Potter mentioned where you were. Not James."

"Before that —you asked if he Transfigured the log."

Lily paused, and realized Josey was right. "It just slipped out."

Josey snickered.

Nikeia, however, was thinking about something else. "Can I borrow those essays?" she asked quietly.

Lily looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Guess that means no. Just thought I should ask."

The rest of the afternoon went by nicely, with no more jokes about James and Lily. The three young women did chuckle over Frank Longbottom and Alice Walker, though. The two of them were walking slowly around the lake, not know that they were being watched by Nikeia, Josey and Lily.

At least, the three girls were watching Frank and Alice until James and Sirius gave up playing catch and decided to go swimming. They just took off their shirts, rolled up their pants and jumped into the water.

Nikeia and Josey lost no time in complimenting on—and whistling at—Potter's and Black's handsome figures. Lily just raised her eyebrows, not about to give anyone the satisfaction, though she did admit to herself that they were wonderfully built; all those hours playing Quidditch. Running away from the caretaker Filch probably helped, too.

In fact, Lily wondered how one _did_ get so well built from playing Quidditch? It was just flying around and throwing a Quaffle. And Sirius didn't even play Quidditch on the House team. She assumed Potter stayed fit to be able to fly to his best ability. She figured that their egos ordered them to keep in shape and use Quidditch as an excuse.

James and Sirius had just gotten out of the water and were shaking their hair when Lily noticed that Frank and Alice, who were walking on the quieter, less populated side of the lake, had gotten closer to the pier.

She pointed them out again to Nikeia and Josey, who called over everyone else. They all sighed at how cute the other two seventh years looked; the young men's sighs may have been slightly sarcastic. Frank and Alice were walking close together along the edge of the lake, and Alice had a flower in her hair. As the seven people watched, Frank slipped his hand into Alice's.

Nikeia, Josey and Lily sighed at the couple. James and Sirius mimicked them sarcastically, again.

"You girls are such hopeless romantics," scoffed Sirius.

He was ignored.

"They are so cute together!" said Josey.

When Frank and Alice were about a hundred meters away, Sirius got into the spirit and whispered mischievously, "I wonder if he's going to try to kiss her."

Everyone grinned, except Peter who was reading his book again behind everyone. Then, not two minutes after Sirius had whispered, Frank and Alice came to a stand of trees. Alice leaned against one, and looked out over the lake, still talking to Frank. He responded, and then started leaning in. Even from the distance, the students on the pier could see her fidget and blush. But, she did not move away. Everyone on the pier froze, hoping that Frank wouldn't be too shy.

They got their wish.

As if in slow motion, he leaned closer until finally his lips touched hers. Everyone was silent for a moment and then, all at once, started to cheer and shout. Frank and Alice broke apart from the sweet kiss and turned toward the laughter and shouts. If Alice's faint blush had be seen, the redness that was now on both their cheeks was very visible to their audience.

The laughter doubled when they heard a sputtering and turned to find Wormtail sitting in the water. He had jumped when they shouted and fell into the lake.

James and Sirius reached down and pulled him from the water. He shook the water out of his ears as he muttered something about someone owing him a new book. He went to sit on the dry grass in the last traces of the sun, trying to get the water out of his book. Remus sighed and used a Drying Charm. Peter chuckled meekly, and got back to reading, embarrassed that the solution was that easy.

Frank and Alice had walked toward the pier, knowing they couldn't really escape. When they finally reached the pier, everyone cheered and Sirius shouted out: "Well! Finally, you did it, Frank!" He slapped Frank on the back and allowed Alice to walk in front of him to sit on the wood next to the rest of the girls. Finally the guys sat down and talked a bit. Frank and Alice leaned against each other, holding hands. Sirius and James sat back-to-back along the length of the pier, using each other as supports as they so often did. Sirius and Nikeia began talking, with quite a few flirtatious comments thrown in. Remus sat next to Josey, his feet dangling in the water; he admitted that he was using a warming charm.

As the sun began to set, Lily tried leaning back but came in contact with James's legs. She quickly sat forward.

"Sorry, Evans. Here, I'll move over a bit; you can lean back now."

"It's fine."

"Oh, Lily, shut up and be comfortable," said Nikeia, lightly teasing. Lily threw her a look that she didn't catch as she was too busy talking to Sirius. She glanced back over her shoulder and saw that James had moved back.

She leaned back again, and could tell that Potter's legs were not far from her back.

"You can lean against my legs, if you like." He bumped her back gently with a knee. She tossed him a quick smile, but didn't move. He, however, moved forward again and positioned his legs right behind her.

Figuring there was no harm done, she let her weight rest again him.

James marveled at how red her hair became when the sun's last rays struck it across the water. He smiled, and enjoyed the last moments of the day.


	6. The First Detention

**Chapter Six - The First Detention**

Eventually, Lily looked at her watch and gasped. She got up carefully, so as to not fall into the lake, and looked pointedly at James. He sighed, but got up as well. They said their goodbyes and began to walk to McGonagall's office. When they reached it, they were surprised to see it in complete disarray. McGonagall was sitting behind a cluttered desk and she beckoned them in and explained.

"Peeves somehow got in and decided to have fun. I was going to have you clean the Transfiguration classroom, but I think this is a bit more important now. I trust you two enough to be in here without me. Please, put it in as much order as you can. If you can't find where something goes, just put it aside and I'll figure it out later. I'll be in the teacher's lounge if you need me. Goodbye!" McGonagall got up and walked out her door. "Oh, no wands, of course." She nodded and left.

Lily and James groaned at the state of the room. Peeves had definitely enjoyed himself. Filing cabinets were torn apart, papers were everywhere, and the desk was completely overturned. Other things lay higgledy-piggledy every which way, and ink had been poured across the floor.

Nevertheless, they got to work.

They started by picking everything off the floor and putting it in semi-organized piles. The vast amount of things in McGonagall's office made the job a long one. When the floor was cleared of debris, they righted the desk and the cabinets. James went to find a bucket of soup and water.

"I'm sorry if you felt uncomfortable by the lake," he said, when he returned. He began to wipe down the board of the offensive scribbling of Peeves's. Lily sighed.

"It—it wasn't...r-really that bad," she stuttered, continuing to organize the Professor's desk. James smiled to himself. She was so cute when she stuttered.

When the board was wiped clean, he started working on one of the many bookshelves. As he set books aside, he decided to find a topic of conversation that didn't have the potential to get her angry.

"So, how is your family?"

Lily's eyes narrowed. James noticed this and mentally slapped himself. He scolded his thought process and set it the task of _never_ bringing it up again.

"Well, apart from the fact that my only sister has called me by nothing other than 'freak' for the past seven years, and her fat boyfriend is very nearly completely self-absorbed and ridiculous, and I can't even talk about being here, at Hogwarts, when I'm home during the summer, it really isn't that bad!" She grabbed a stack of books from behind the desk, and moved to place the books next to the bookshelf James was cleaning.

"Lily, I'm sorry," said James. The anger and frustration in her voice pulled at his heart. It made him grateful for his own mum and dad. He didn't know what it would have been like to be Muggleborn, especially a Muggleborn with a sibling that didn't understand.

"She's just jealous that I got in to Hogwarts and she didn't. We used to be close, very close—best friends even—but after I got my letter-" She slammed the books fiercely down on the small table beside the shelves and James got the picture.

"Ah," he said, and turned to place the books in his arms onto the table.

However, a very heavy tome fell from his arms and dropped onto the edge of the bucket of soapy water. Consequentially, said bucket of soapy water tipped over and James slipped on the soap suds. Lily, who had turned and attempted to catch the book, also slipped. She fell into James, and they fell to the ground together. James landed with a hard thump on his back and absorbed another as Lily fell on top of him.

He groaned even as Lily made the same sound. He was too shocked by his fall to notice that she was pretty shocked also. He felt her elbow dig into his stomach as she attempted to hastily get off of him. He curled his body in pain and Lily lost her balance. She landed with another thump on his chest, her head beside his.

She tried again to remove herself from him, but her hand must've slipped on a spot of water. She stopped herself inches before her nose smashed into James's face.

He was terribly tempted to shift a bit and kiss her. He did not, though; rather, he said, "To avoid another attack on my kidney, why don't you push yourself up using the floor?"

She was blushing as she placed her hands on the floor beside him and pushed herself up.

He slowly sat up also, the pain in his back equal to that which was coming from the bump on his head and his bruised entrails.

Nevertheless, he began to apologize. "Sorry, Evans, the stupid bucket tipped the book over-" James stopped, and shook his head. "I mean, the book tipped the bucket over. I guess I really hit my head… "

He saw her raise an eyebrow at him, and to his utter amazement, she began to chuckle. His expression must have been pretty humorous, because she started laughing. James still looked at her in amazement but slowly began to grin and then started laughing along. After a few moments of laughter, James carefully stood up and brought Lily with him. She turned away, probably to get back to organizing, and stepped forward into the puddle of water. Of course, she began to slip. James caught her and turned her around.

"Whoa! Don't you fall now!" warned James, still chuckling. He paused to enjoy the feeling of Lily in his arms, and wished that he could do it whenever he wished. Lily chuckled again in response to his warning but stopped when she looked up into James's hazel eyes. James felt a funny look come over to his face as he looked into her bright green eyes, and he figured a similar one was currently on her own face.

Then, without much thought, he leaned forward, and put his lips on Lily's.

A mere moment later, he pulled away, and he looked over her face. His brain was vaguely numb, but he thought he felt his conscious slapping its forehead. James removed his arms from around Lily's waist and stepped back.

A look of surprise was all that could be read on Lily's face and then another emotion took over; one that was quite the opposite of what James would have wanted.

Three seconds later, he could feel the exact outline of the handprint that was growing on the left side of his face, and he shook his head slightly to clear his scattered brain. He looked back at Lily and her face was a mixture of emotions: anger, embarrassment, and confusion. He shook his head again, as if to shake the handprint from his cheek, and opened his mouth to say something. His conscious finally decided to make its appearance, and James shut his mouth. He backed away from the rather stunned girl, and turned back to the bookshelf. From the corner of his eye, he saw that she remained still for a few moments, and then got back to organizing McGonagall's desk.

James knelt down on the floor and pressed his fist to his forehead. If only he had a Time-Turner…

He looked down at all the water, and swore softly. Figuring the best thing to do with all this water was wash the floor clean of the spilled ink, he pulled his robe from his body, threw it across the room (his Head Boy badge clinked as it hit something) and reached into the bucket. He grabbed the soggy rag and started to clean the floor, wondering if he could possibly get any stupider. To say the feel of her lips on his was not wonderful would be like saying the hardwood floor wasn't hard. He had finally kissed her. Only, it wasn't quite the kiss he wanted their first to be.

He determined to slap some common sense into his conscious. Maybe he could have Lily do it for him… Oh, wait…

Lily was surprised to say the least when they had slipped and fallen. However, that was no match to her surprise when he kissed her. It was a short kiss; it lasted maybe two seconds. But it was a kiss that Lily never thought could have come from someone like James. It was gentle and sweet. She had thought that if he ever managed to kiss her he would've been forceful and rough about it. Nothing like what had actually happened. It was so incredibly confusing. She could almost still feel it on her own lips.

She certainly was feeling that slap in her hand; her palm was stinging.

A part of her mind and heart began to think that maybe he really did like her. That he wasn't just _wanting_ her because she was hard to get.

She looked out McGonagall's office window, completely befuddled.

She realized that she had judged him without really knowing him.

She passed a hand across her forehead, pushing aside strands of long red hair. Walking over to the window, she rested her head the cool pane. She stayed there for a few moments, and then realized that she still had a lot of work to do.

She put another few books in a pile on the edge of McGonagall's desk, feeling it better to stay on this side of the desk. Potter was cleaning the floor, and she did not feel like slipping again. Her knee was throbbing from where it had hit the ground.

She took a deep breath and told herself that the hours would pass by faster if she let the work numb her brain.

Two hours after they had fallen, McGonagall came back to her office.

She stopped just inside the threshold in amazement. The floor was cleaner than it had been in a long time and the chalkboard wiped clear and free of dust. The books and shelves had been dusted and straightened, and the quills on her desk were standing in their tartan holder. Even her small tartan-patterned tin of biscuits (minus the one that Potter took) was neatly sitting on the edge of her desk.

"Well, I'm surprised," she said, quite honestly. "It looks even better than before Peeves ruined it. Well done." James and Lily smiled shakily. "You may go up to your dormitory; I'll finish the rest, though there doesn't appear to be much to do. Thank you."

As James and Lily walked out of the office, McGonagall called back to them. "Maybe you can clean the Transfiguration classroom on… let's say Wednesday?" she suggested. The two seventh years smiled and nodded, knowing that it was not a suggestion to be ignored. Before they left the room, McGonagall called out to James.

"Potter? What happened to your face?" The corners of McGonagall's mouth turned up and James merely smiled and shrugged with mock bewilderment and walked away. Lily looked sheepish and wished McGonagall a "good night." James and Lily both—though they would swear they had been hearing things—thought they had heard their Head of House laugh.

They walked silently to the entrance to their dormitory. The old wizard in the portrait was snoring loudly. James threw him a contemptuous look, but took the opportunity to turn to Lily.

"Ev- Lily?" he asked, tentatively. She slowly looked up at him. "I'm sorry for what I did back there. I… I don't really know what to say. Got carried away, I guess," he attempted explained with a slight smile. Lily nodded but her face was unemotional.

She faced the portrait, and said the password. He didn't move. Lily said it louder. James knocked on the painting. The Old Man woke up, and looked around.

"Please do not manhandle me in such a way! Whatever do you want?" he asked groggily.

"We want to get into our dormitories, so _fiddlesticks _and open up!" said James heatedly.

The Old Man swung open, grumbling as he did so, and James and Lily stepped into the common room. The pair walked down the hallway and said tense "goodnights" at Lily's door. James had just opened his door when Lily called back to him.

"Ja- Potter? I'm sorry for slapping you. So hard, at least." She walked into her room and gently closed the door.

James smiled and flopped down on his bed, remembering the feel of Lily's lips on his.

He wondered if the fact that she slapped him with more vigor than ever before symbolized anything...


	7. More Cleaning

**Chapter Seven - More Cleaning**

Lily walked through silent hallways to the Owlery. She had promised to write her parents, and had finally found time to do so the previous night. She did mention her fellow Head student, but had not desired to elaborate much on him. She had not forgotten her first detention.

When she reached the Owlery, she had to bite back a groan when she saw the black-haired menace that she had written about.

"What are you doing here?" asked Lily, surprising Potter. He turned around and smiled.

"Aren't I allowed to mail a letter to my parents?" he asked, stroking the owl on his arm. It had a letter on its leg and looked very eager to get out and fly.

"You should let that owl go before he bites your finger; though maybe that would be a good thing," Lily quipped with annoyance.

Potter smiled once again and released the owl into the dusk. Lily walked to her right and looked for an owl. A pretty brown one turned its head and hooted. Lily smiled and held up her arm to the owl. The brown swooped down and lighted atop Lily's wool jacket sleeve.

"So, what are _you_ doing here?" asked Potter. Lily walked to a window, attaching the letter as she went. She threw a look to James and responded.

"Am I not allowed to mail a letter to my parents?" she mimicked.

"What are you writing about? The newest essay we have due in three weeks?" asked James, ignoring her verbal jab.

"If you're going to make a snappy retort as least try to make it truthful; we don't have a essay due in three weeks."

James flushed slightly.

"And no, I did not write about essays; I didn't even mention one. I merely filled them in on the past few weeks and how I am stuck working with an arrogant, self-centered, annoying, persistent boy." She gave him a meaningful look and he gave an angered smile.

"Do you really think I'm that bad?" he asked as he started to walk to the door.

"Well, you can't deny that those adjectives describe you quite well most of the time," retorted Lily. She ignored the part of her brain that opined that she was being slightly unfair.

"'Most of the time?'" asked James, with a smirk on his lips. "What am I the rest of the time, then?"

Lily groaned and continued to walk.

"I also don't think that that is quite fair. I just wrote about how wonderful who are: so brave, respectful, law-abiding..." James smiled at another groan from the female Gryffindor, and followed her quietly.

When they reached Professor McGonagall's office she led them to the Transfiguration classroom. She left them there to clean the entire classroom without magic and without any help again. James and Lily worked in silence, for the most part, only talking to ask for a rag or for help moving a desk.

In three hours, McGonagall returned to a much better looking classroom. The floors were once again clean and the shelves dusted. She smiled and told them she would see them tomorrow. James and Lily decided to do their rounds now before returning to the dormitories. It was after ten, so the rounds were pretty uneventful. Lily managed to stumble up the stairs a few times as she was so tired. James just put out an arm to steady her and she just nodded in thanks, not caring who stopped her fall.

Things had been a bit awkward since James kissed her. Their few conversations, including the one in the Owlery, were tense. Part of Lily even enjoyed the fact that Potter was finally silent more often.

The part that had said she was being unfair noticed that Potter actually had been acting differently in general… Even now, he stopped his hand from disheveling his hair. He had also been keeping his smart comments to a minimum.

The two Heads said very tired 'goodnights' at their bedroom doors and fell into their beds as soon as they were undressed.

The next day was Monday, and the Marauders were talking over breakfast about something Lily was sure she was going to disapprove of, though she could not hear them. Nikeia and Josey had persuaded and begged Lily to sit with the Marauders and, in fear of her ears falling off, she had consented. She had thrown up her hands and sat down next to Samuel and Monica, the two first years, who were sitting side-by-side next to James. They were enjoying their time at Hogwarts thoroughly and couldn't begin to express their enjoyment.

"See, Miss Evans and I were right!" said James, smiling down at the first-years as he ate breakfast. "We told you two you would like it and you do."

Sam and Monica smiled and ran off to the library to do some work before classes.

"Now look at what you've done!" said James, wearing and expression of mock surprise. "You've turned them into studying bookworms! They're running off to the library at every chance they can get." He glared at Lily with a teasing expression, but Lily, even though she knew he was mostly joking, slapped him hard on the arm. She walked away, her bag over her shoulder. Sirius looked at James.

"Why do you do stupid things like that?" he asked, looking confused.

"You _do _want her to like you, right?" Remus threw in, holding back a smile.

"Well, yeah, but I didn't think she would get that weird over that! I wasn't even being serious!" said James, rubbing his arm.

"Please, don't ever become Sirius. We wouldn't be able to survive," put in Nikeia.

"Darling Nikeia, there is only one of me; there will only ever be one of me," informed Sirius, his hands flat on the table as he leaned forward slightly to Nikeia.

"Thank Merlin for that," she said, smiling. Sirius grinned, and went back to eating.

After breakfast the seventh years walked to their first classes. For James, it was Potions with Professor Slughorn. Once again, he praised Lily's wonderful ability in Potions. James also attempted to compliment her, but she just threw him a raised eyebrow. He continued to make the very difficult Amortenia potion, which smelled like wind before rain, broom polishing oil and the clean scent of a certain someone.

Their next class was Transfiguration, in which James and Sirius excelled. They had, after all, succeeding in becoming Animagi. McGonagall complimented the two after class, which was not something she did often. The boys made the most of it, and bowed deeply to her. She merely raised an eyebrow and turned back to her desk.

"James, what happened during detention?" Remus asked, as three of the Marauders walked to Defense Against the Dark Arts. "Lily's been a bit odd lately."

"Yeah, I would say colder than usual, but there are times when she actually seems to be nicer," put in Sirius, setting his bag onto the floor. He winked to a passing blonde. She giggled, and kept on walking.

James rolled his eyes at his friend's behavior. "I've noticed. Well... during the first one, I dropped a book on a bucket and the bucket tipped over. Then I slipped on the water, and Lily did, too..."

"You slipped?" asked Remus. "The only thing that happened was you two slipping?" He looked doubtful.

"Well, not exactly." James ruffled his hair in agitation.

"James… what happened?"

He ruffled his hair again, and gave a pointed look to his two friends.

Remus's eyes widened, and Sirius's mouth dropped open.

"Oh no!" Sirius said. "Please don't tell me that you did what I think you did!" he cried. He looked to James expectantly.

James nodded sheepishly.

"You kissed her!" he said quite loudly. A few people turned to stare at his raised voice but turned back to their own conversations. After all, a Marauder kissing a girl wasn't that strange. Though the number of kisses had gone down in the past year…

"Prongs, you're such an idiot," started Sirius, rather harshly. James glared at him.

"Well, yeah. I know it was stupid, and she slapped me good for it. I just… I had her in my arms and… I didn't know what else to do. I obviously wanted to. There was a look in her eyes…"

Sirius was looking at him blandly. Remus was smiling slightly.

"Maybe you'll find out what it is to want just one girl one day, Padfoot."

Sirius frowned and shifted uncomfortably.

"We didn't even talk during the last detention."

Their conversation was ended for, at that moment, the door opened and the class filed in.

Later that night, James and Lily walked down to McGonagall's office again. This time, they were sent to clean up the Potions classroom. Some first year must've made a pretty bad mess; either that or Slughorn was just being lazy in telling the kids to clean up. James would bet on the lazy card; chunks of uncut potions ingredients littered the floor, and there were pumpkin juice stains and sugar granules on his desk.

James and Lily once again worked in near silence for a while, washing desks, shelves and the floors. Finally, James put down his rag and turned to the girl.

"Hey, Evans?" he asked, tentatively.

She spared him a brief glance before turning back to the desk she was cleaning.

"I'm sorry for making you so mad. I just… I just don't know what-"

"Potter, stop!" said Lily, rinsing out her rag. "I've heard this and I don't need to hear it again. What's done is done and it can't be undone so just stop dwelling on it."

"Except I can't!" said James. He immediately regretted it and smacked his wet hand against forehead. Lily looked as if she wanted to do the same thing, except to James, not herself. "I'm sorry! That just came out!" He shook his head again and went back to scrubbing a particularly stubborn stain on the floor with a great amount of vitality.

Lily continued cleaning, feeling a mixture of emotions. He was a Marauder, first and foremost, and therefore went against the grain. But this new confusion of his was rather endearing. He had never apologized so much, and he had rarely stumbled over his words in the past. He hadn't even asked her out; not once. She had also noticed him sitting with Sam, Monica and a few other first years in the common room the other day. Apparently, he had been helping them with Charms class work, for they all had their wands out and were following his movements. He had also started applying himself to his schoolwork. He may have just been writing silly notes, but if she didn't know better, she would have thought he was taking notes in Potions the other day. Writing in the margins of his book, of course, but still; taking notes. And he certainly worked hard during detention.

And she still couldn't stop pondering over how it felt to have been caught and held by him. Nor could she remove of the feeling of his kiss from her mind.

She decided that she missed being able to talk to her friends. She decided to find Nikeia and Josey later, and chat.

And that was what she did, or tried to anyway. In pajamas and wrapped in her robe, she walked down the hall to the common room of the Gryffindors. She recognized the back of Nikeia's from over the back of the couch, but also recognized the head connected to the shoulder on which Nikeia was leaning. She looked very comfortable leaning against Sirius as they sat together in front of the fire. Lily smiled and walked back to her own common room. She wouldn't bother them now. Another day of stewing in her own thoughts wouldn't hurt. Much.

James, however, had no desire to stew in his thoughts any longer than absolutely necessary. So, right after he got out of detention, he made his way to his old dormitory. His friends would be a great help to his muddled mind. Maybe.


	8. Conversations

**Chapter Eight - Conversations**

Rolling and massaging his shoulder, James entered the common room. He had spent most of his detention not only avoiding Lily's eyes, but scrubbing the floor, desks and chairs of the Potions room. His shoulders and knees were both sore, but they held nothing to the soreness that sometimes came after a good Quidditch match. He crossed the nearly empty room to the boy's staircase.

"James?" said a voice, from behind him.

He turned, and located the speaker. Nikeia was sitting on the couch, reading something.

"All right?" he asked, walking over.

"Yeah, just doing some reading. What are you doing here? Don't you have your own common room?"

"Got some stuff on my mind; figured that tossing ideas around upstairs with the guys would help clear it."

Nikeia snorted. "Yeah, talking with Remus might. I have my doubts about Peter and Sirius, though."

James laughed and nodded. "They have their moments."

Nikeia glanced around, and pulled a sheepish expression. "Don't… don't tell them I said that. I do like them, it's just…"

"Don't worry. I agree with you. But, I'm sure Sirius is flattered that he's getting attention from such a lovely young woman. No matter what she says."

Nikeia blushed slightly. "Yeah, well… When doesn't he get attention from young ladies?"

James's smile faded, and he sighed. "I'll get Remus to talk some sense into him. For you."

Nikeia laughed. "You do that, James."

He lifted his chin in "goodbye" and continued on his way up the stairs.

At the landing to the seventh year boy's dorm, he decided to be just a bit devious. He pulled a small black ball from his bag, flicked it with his finger and rolled it under the heavy door. A few second later, he heard a pop and fizzing. He snickered, and stood up straight in front of the door.

"Prongs, you idiot!" shouted Sirius, as he pulled open the door. He punched his friend in the shoulder.

"Padfoot, shut up! You'll wake the fidgety little first years." He clapped his friend on the shoulder as he entered the room.

A light haze filled the quarters, along with the vile smell of a dungbomb.

"Prongs, you had to set one off, didn't you? Your week's not complete without it, right?" asked Remus, pulling his wand from the bag beside his bed. He flicked it twice, muttered something under his breath, and the haze vanished and smell went with it. Remus had found the spell in the back of a pretty old book—Medieval, by the look of it—one day in the library. It was a handy spell; one that the Marauders kept to themselves. Such a lovely little thing would eliminate the fun of many of their pranks.

"Thanks, Moony ol' man. And yes, you're right," admitted James, pushing aside some robes and books and such in order to flop down his old bed. He discovered, however, that it was just a bed in the same position of his old one. His bed must have been transferred to his new dormitory.

He glanced around at the various flotsams that had been thrown on the bed. "Nice to see you've put all available space to use."

Frank, who was flipping through the _Daily Prophet_, laughed. "It's mostly Sirius's stuff."

"I'm sure it is."

Sirius had moved back to sitting on the floor, where he and Peter had started a game of Exploding had a smudge of soot on his nose, denoting that he has lost their last game.

"I had to replace the useless nonsense that filled the bed last year with more this year," drawled Sirius.

James picked up an old pair of gloves and threw them at Sirius. They slapped his face with a very satisfying sound.

"All right, before you two get carried away…" started Remus, glaring at James. He was now sitting on the edge of his bed, turned toward the Head student. "We didn't get to finish our conversation from earlier today..."

"What conversation?" asked Frank.

"The one we had before Defense," filled in Sirius, chucking the gloves back towards James, even as he placed a card on the stack.

"And you couldn't call me over to join in?" questioned Frank, frustrated that he had not been included.

"You were busy chatting with Alice," said James, teasing.

"And Lily, if I remember correctly," tossed Remus.

James groaned, and flopped back onto the bed.

"I take it that the conversation had something to do with Lily then," determined Frank, nodding once.

Remus returned the nod, and still glared at James.

"Well, then, can someone please fill me in on what the conversation was about?"

Peter looked up, curious. The deck chose that moment to explode, covering both young men in a puff of smoke.

Sirius knocked over the few remaining cards, effectively announcing his sudden disinterest in the game, and turned his attention to the conversation. Peter sneezed.

"James kissed Lily during their first detention. Git."

Remus transferred his glare to Sirius, while Frank's eyebrows got lost somewhere in his curly brown hair.

"Really?" he asked. "Why? What happened?"

"Yes; because he's an idiot and couldn't think before he acted; and the git tripped on some water, fell over, took Lily with him, and when they stood, he laid one on her."

"Sirius, you're not helping." Remus was holding his head in his hands so his voice was slightly muffled.

"I explained the situation; how is that not helping?" Sirius said, throwing out his hands.

"It's more the manner in which you… Oh, never mind."

"Well, but isn't that good, James?" inquired Frank then.

"No!" said the dark-haired man gruffly. He sat up on the bed, and looked at his friends. "Because now… now I've ruined everything. I might have actually almost had a chance this year! I was determined to be on my best behavior! Instead, I acted without thinking and did something really stupid. She'll just see me as even more arrogant now."

He grabbed a pillow from under the pile of discarded items and smashed it over his face.

"Prongs, relax," ordered Remus. The other man just groaned.

"Listen, James," said Sirius, with a tough tone of voice. "You're right; you have been different this year so far. But you can't change everything about yourself. Yeah, you're impulsive; that's who you are. Kissing her—kissing Evans—might actually be the thing that will get that girl to see reason. Beyond the reason written in the textbooks she loves so much."

"Sirius!" cried Remus and Frank.

"Shut it," responded Sirius. "That girl's been a part of you since second year. Yeah, you've treated her more like a challenge in the past—just a girl to get to snog you in a broom closet. But you _have_ tried to change. And since I'm assuming you didn't attempt anything more than a kiss, I think she's noticed that you're trying to change." He paused. "You did just kiss her, right?"

James threw the pillow at Sirius. "Yeah, that's all!"

"All right, then. That's a change for you. You may have acted on your passion-" (here, he rolled his eyes) "—but you controlled yourself. So stop twisting your knickers."

The dorm was silent for a moment.

"Sirius… who are you, and what have you done with Padfoot?" asked Remus.

Frank nodded. "Yeah, where did that come from?"

"I'm not completely stupid!" announced Padfoot, throwing up his arms again. "And don't worry, that's more than enough intelligence from me for the next month. I'm going downstairs."

"Downstairs?" asked Peter. "What's downstairs?"

"A girl I want to talk to," was all he said as he picked himself off the floor. He ran a hand through his hair and started for the door.

"Sirius!"

"What?" he asked, turning to face James.

"Thanks, mate."

Sirius paused, then smiled at his best friend. "Yeah, well… If I can see the difference in you, that redhead better be able to." He started to walk again, but Remus stopped him.

"Padfoot? Take some of your own advice. Control yourself. That girl down there isn't like the others—and she doesn't want to be treated like them."

Sirius was silent, his hand on the doorframe. He looked down at his bare feet, then up at his friends. "Yeah, I know. I don't want to treat her like that either. Any girl who can toss a come-back as quickly as she can and be as sarcastic and beautiful doesn't deserve to be treated like any other girl." He nodded once, then left the dorm room.

Silence fell for a few moments, broken only by Peter organizing the deck of cards into a neat stack.

"Well," said James. He sat up again, and sighed.

"It may be strange," began Remus, "but what he said—aside from that last bit which was amazingly out-of-character—actually made sense. You've made your effort. Just keep up with it. No, your action wasn't very intelligent, but I think in some sense it was the honest move."

James smiled. "Thanks, guys. I just… She really has been a part of me. And I want her to remain."

The other men nodded, understanding enough.

"You'll do fine, James," offered Frank. "Now, how about another game of Snap?"

The next night, Lily left the Heads' common room where James was doing homework on the couch in front of the hearth. She had had enough of the thoughts and questions in her brain, and was ready to talk to someone.

Only a few people were in the Gryffindor coming room. She slipped up the staircase to the girl's dormitory without being waylaid, and entered the seventh year room.

"Nikeia? Josey? Alice?" Lily asked into the quiet room.

Three heads looked around their own bed hangings and smiled when they saw Lily. Nikeia, Josephine and Alice were all in the dorm. Josey was painting her nails, while Alice was reading a novel. Nikeia was lying on her stomach, watching Josey.

"Hey, Lily. Welcome back," Nikeia greeted.

Lily smiled, and impulsively threw herself on to her old bed.

At least, she thought it was her old bed. "Wait a minute… this isn't mine. Where's my bed?"

All three girls shrugged.

"No one has stolen it, Lily. We promise."

Josey laughed. "Maybe the one in your room is actually your bed. They probably switched it for you."

Lily slapped her forehead. "That makes a lot of sense. Of course, they did that." She fell silent, her cheek flat against the too-soft bed.

"Hey, you all right? You've been a bit out of it lately," observed Nikeia. She patted the space on the bed next to her. Lily moved across the dormitory and took the offered place on Nikeia's bed. This moved her closer to the other girls, and she loved the feeling of having them around her again. Of course, they had meals together, and a few classes, but there was something about sharing a room that warmed her.

She sighed. "Yeah, I'm all right. Just… well…" She trailed off.

Alice put aside her book and moved forward onto her stomach. "What is it, Lily?"

"Well, it's about Pot—… James."

The other three girls shared knowing looks. Lily didn't catch them. She was occupied with a loose piece of yarn from the afghan on the bed.

"When isn't it about James?" asked Josey, teasing.

Lily chuckled. "I guess he does have a way of getting to me, doesn't he?"

"That might be an understatement," laughed Alice.

Nikeia nodded in agreement, and flipped onto her side to look at her redheaded friend.

"Well," Lily said, "He got to me during out first detention. We both slipped on some water—that was James's fault, by the way; the spilled water."

"Of course it was," responded Nikeia, nodding.

"I landed on top of him. I guess he actually was protecting me, but regardless. It was pretty funny, really. Slipping, and falling… I started laughing and he was stumbling over his words. He helped me stand up and, well, he..."

"Lily, did he…" began Nikeia. Lily unknowingly gave her three friends the same look James had outside the classroom.

All three girls stared. As one, they said, incredulously: "He _kissed_ you?"

All Lily could do was nod.

"Oh, King Arthur!" gasped Nikeia, rolling over onto her back and covering her face. Josey, wide-mouthed, was holding the nail polish brush suspended over her toe, and Alice had buried her face into her pillow.

"And now, I'm just so confused," Lily said meekly.

Nikeia opened her eyes to look kindly at her friend, urging her to continue.

"He seems like his changed. He's… a bit more mature, maybe? He's certainly working harder, and hasn't complained about going on patrols since our first. I saw him take notes the other day in Potions."

"He was helping Sam with Transfiguration yesterday," put in Alice.

"Exactly. He doing some things that he's never done before, and less—far less—of some things he always did. He musses up his hair maybe once a day and he hasn't asked me out once… He even wipes the bathroom mirror clean after he showers."

The other girls stared at Lily for a moment after that tidbit of information. Smiles tugged at the corners of their lips.

"Maybe that's just to better see his reflection, I don't know!" said Lily, frustrated at her statement and the chuckles coming from her three friends. "He squeezes his toothpaste from the top of the tube, by the way."

By the end of that sentence, Lily had joined her friends in laughter. She didn't even know why she had volunteered such a fact. She didn't even know she had noticed this habit of his.

When they settled, Josey asked, "What was being kissed by James Potter like?"

Lily was silent. She had thought about it so much… "It wasn't anything near to what I thought it would have been like. It was…it was sweet. He just held me and gently kissed me. It almost doesn't even seem to have actually been a kiss… Except…" She trailed off again, then started on a new train of thought: "If he really wanted to get with me just because I was a challenge, he wouldn't have kissed me like that, would he? It would've been more… more forceful, right?"

Nikeia, for one, just shrugged.

"Maybe," offered Josey, "it _was_ just a reaction."

"Yeah, that's what he said; that he just got carried away. But, I don't really think so. That kiss was not getting carried away."

Suddenly she grabbed Nikeia's pillow and buried her face into the light purple fabric.

"I'm just so confused about him." Her voice was muffled coming through the pillow.

Alice spoke first. "I do think he's different, Lily. Something about this summer must have changed him. And, if I may be honest..."

Lily lifted her head from the pillow, and looked to Alice.

"I think he's always really liked you," she admitted, her soft voice softer still. "It's just that before, you were _just_ a challenge to him, and I think that was his whole purpose in the beginning. But now… I've seen him when he looks at you. Such a thoughtful expression."

Josey nodded in agreement.

"Frank mentioned that he was in their dorm yesterday night," Alice continued, "talking about something. Of course, Frank wouldn't tell me what, but I'd bet it was you."

Lily smiled wanly. "But what do I _do_?"

"What do you want to do?"

"That doesn't help me at all, Nik."

"Think about it."

Lily did.

"I want to know what's going on with him. I think I want to get to know this Potter… this James."

The other girls nodded.

"Then, just try to get to know him."

"Oh!" she cried. "But what if he gets all cocky again? What if this is all just a show? An illusion? Just something to catch me off guard before… using me, or something like that?"

Nikeia pressed her hand to Lily's knee. "I don't think it's an illusion. Sirius was here last night—well, in the common room-"

"I saw that, by the way," interrupted Lily.

Nikeia blushed faintly, but continued with her own train of thought: "Sirius mentioned how James has changed. I don't think Sirius would've said anything had he not been honest; not been sure. He's not one to repeat things that are obvious, so to mention something like this…"

Lily nodded, agreeing. If Sirius had noticed the difference…

"You know, Lily…" A smirk came onto Josey's face as she spoke. "I think all of us had this idea that one day you would get so fed up with his constant nagging that you would throw your arms around him and snog him silly. And then you'd be the happiest couple in Hogwarts, prancing about on clouds!"

"Oh, gee, thanks a lot!" cried Lily, throwing the pillow at Josey. She laughed, but caught the bundle of feathers. Alice and Nikeia laughed wildly at the exchange of words.

Lily was still shocked, but she was chuckling on the inside. "Did you really think that, Jo?"

The blonde smirked and nodded. "Wouldn't it have been romantic?" She pressed her hands to her chest happily and sighed.

Nikeia grabbed the pillow from Josey, and hit her again. "You're such a sap." She paused. "It would have been incredibly wonderful though." She sighed. Alice was nodding.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm so sorry I wasn't able to provide your romantic scene earlier!"

"There's still time," snickered Josey. The other girls joined her snickering.

Lily sobered. "No, in all seriousness. I couldn't do that. I don't want to jump into anything. It would be much too impulsive."

The other girls became somber again, and nodded slowly.

"Well then. Just take it slow," reiterated Alice.

"It's a chance you'll have to take; getting to know him. And if it is all a sham—and we don't think it is—it's not like you don't have experience with the old Potter," started Nikeia.

Lily exhaled sharply in laughter. "Experience, I've got." She looked at her friends. Suddenly she froze. "Why in the world am I thinking about this so seriously? I shouldn't be at all! He's still James Potter, an arrogant boy with messy hair!"

The other girls laughed. Nikeia pressed a hand to Lily's arm. "Relax. You're the type to examine every angle. It's just naturally for you." She paused and winked. "Though, it could be that you really do want to see what it's like to be a close friend of James Potter's."

Lily scowled, but didn't say anything.

"Whatever that's supposed to happen will happen, Lils," said Alice, wisely.

Lily sighed. "I'm glad I came to you guys. I miss being here."

"So come back to us!"

"It is tempting… But I like my own quiet room. Plus, I can sit in front of the fire whenever I want—I don't have to worry about some silly third year spilling ink on the carpet, or a fifth year lounging on the couch. And I don't have to walk through the halls to the prefect's bathroom."

"Go ahead, make us jealous!" Josey scoffed.

Lily winked. "Plus, it makes coming back here to talk so much more special. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all."

They shared a chuckle, and Josey pressed her hands against her heart dramatically again.

Suddenly, Lily turned on Nikeia. "So, my friend. What's this about you and Sirius?"

Josey and Alice repeated Lily's sentiment. Nikeia blushed again, but started to explain. "I understood vaguely that it had something to do with something James said. I didn't get the whole story. But, he came down into the common room last night. It was pretty late, so I guess it was after he had talked with James, who had gone up to boy's dorm a while before. Anyway, Sirius asked me to Hogsmeade and I said yes. I've always been interested in him, I suppose. You girls know that. I'm just flattered that he asked me. But more so that he sat down and _talked_ to me before asking me… I guess there's something going on with the guys in this school." She laughed. "Maybe they finally start to mature when they reach seventeen, eighteen."

The other girls nodded and sighed.

"But Lil, when did you see Sirius and me last night?"

"I came to see if I could find you girls. I saw you and Sirius cuddled on the couch-" she shot a teasing look to Nikeia- "and I didn't want to interrupt so I just let you guys sit there."

Nikeia nodded. "And, why didn't you tell us about him kissing you earlier?"

Lily shrugged. "I guess I didn't really find time. What with the detentions and classwork and all that…"

Nikeia accepted the reason. Next, she flipped over again and stared at Alice. The shorter girl seemed to sink into her pillow underneath Nikeia's teasingly harsh stare.

"And you, Miss Walker. What's all this with Frank? Tell us about that!"

Lily chuckled, and awaited Alice's response.

The rest of the night was spent in lovely companionship. After Alice, Josey was teased about the various boys at whom she had been caught staring—mostly Quidditch players, no matter their house.

It was only when Lily was starting to fall asleep (on Nikeia's pillow) and the other girls were curled under their covers, that they called it a night. Lily thanked them again through her yawn, and returned to her own common room.

Lily walked back along the hallway, and sighed when she finally passed through the portrait hole into the Head's dorm. She went to see if James was still up.

The fire had died low, but James was still on the couch. He was not awake, however; he was lying lopsidedly on the couch, asleep.

Lily smiled gently at his peaceful face, and again admitted to herself that he really was quite handsome, despite his shirt being untucked, his tie and robe in a heap on the floor, and one pant leg stuck into his sock. The other sock even had a hole in the big toe. His head lolled backward over the arm of the couch and his mouth was slightly open. It made her chuckle. He had fallen asleep reading his Transfiguration textbook.

She pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and laid it gently on him. James started as the blanket settled upon him and opened his eyes. Apparently, he had just fallen asleep.

"Evans?" he asked his voice rather groggy. "What are you doing down here this late?"

"Well, I could ask you the same question, but I see you're doing homework," she said, looking down at the spilled bottle of ink on the carpet and parchment. "Or were anyway."

"Oh," said James, shifting under the blanket slightly to pick up the bottle and remove the spilled contents of the bottle from the navy carpet with his mahogany wand. "Yeah, I guess I just dozed off for a bit."

Lily smiled and sat down. She gestured to his book. "Do you really find Transfiguration that boring to study for?"

"No, it's probably my favorite class. It's just that it's late and I've been working on that essay for McGonagall. I'm sure you've already completed it."

Lily chuckled, and shrugged. "Yes, I have and yes, I can understand your pain. It was quite a fun essay to write," she sighed, rather sarcastically.

"It's an interesting topic, just a bit too dense for me right now." James sighed and threw the book onto the floor. "You remember doing homework for Binns? _That_ was torture," he said, stretching out along the couch and pushing the blanket over his shoulder.

Lily rolled her eyes, then pressed her hands together and tilted her head atop them, miming sleep.

"What? When have you ever fallen asleep while doing homework?" asked James, skeptical.

"When it came to History of Magic, it was very tempting.

"I seem to remember your pen always moving at the speed of Nimbus 1001 during class," stated James, a questioning sound to his voice.

"Well, someone had to take notes for the sake of the ghost."

James laughed. "Yeah, I guess that's true." He paused. "But, back to before, what _are _ you doing here?"

"Can I not sit in my own common room?"

"You know what I meant. I thought you had gone to bed when you left earlier."

"Oh, I just went to talk to the girls. I wasn't really planning on spending so long talking to them, but it was nice."

"I'm glad," James said, nodding. He tried to surreptitiously rub his eyes. Lily pretended not to notice. It was nearly midnight, and essays were pretty tedious this late. She wouldn't begrudge him his tiredness.

"I went to talk to them about you, actually."

James's head snapped up and he looked at Lily. She noticed that, even though he had been surprised, he still showed signs of fatigue.

"I didn't know what else to do. I had been thinking about you since our first detention." She was looking down at her hands. She didn't want to see his reaction. Not yet. "I… I've noticed changes in you since you ki- since we slipped. I guess I just wanted to get things off my chest. To get their opinion." She looked up now. He was also staring at his hands, but his brow was furrowed. There was, however, a slight upward tilt to the corner of his lips.

"What's this, Lily Evans admitting she was thinking about James Potter?"

It was a statement that definitely harkened back to the Old Potter, but Lily found she didn't mind. She chuckled at the tease, and shrugged, deciding to respond in kind. "When that Lily Evans gets unexpectedly kissed during detention by a guy she had vowed to dislike forever, you better believe she'd starting thinking."

James smiled, and chuckled. "You've got me there. When this guy finally kissed the girl he's wanted to kiss for a long time you better believe he was thinking about how much he screwed up."

Lily started shaking her head. "You didn't screw up. It… it was an impulsive move. But not an unpleasant mistake, I suppose."

James smiled faintly again, and had to suppress another yawn. "Oh Merlin, I'm sorry. I'm not used to studying until midnight."

"Actually, you fell asleep before midnight," she quipped.

"It was close enough," James stated testily.

Lily ceded. "Well, I guess I can say that I'm proud of you, then. It's nice to see you finally taking on _some_ responsibility." She smiled broadly at him. He inclined his head back to her.

"Good night… James."

"'Night, Lily."

Lily stepped into her bedroom, and leaned against the closed door. She smiled softly, glad that they had been able to chat.

She heard footsteps pass her door, and then heard James enter his room. She faintly heard him start to laugh. She chuckled inwardly, and got ready for bed.

**Author's Note: **So, the conversation between James and the rest of the guys was added, and Lily's conversation with Nikeia was expanded to include Alice and Josey. I liked the idea of showing James struggle, just slightly, and I also liked the idea of having the other girls in on the conversation. I felt like Lily and Alice should definitely be closer. So, if you've read the original, yes- this has been changed.


	9. The American

**Chapter Nine - The American**

As the whole of Hogwarts sat in the Great Hall at breakfast the next morning, nothing seemed out of place. Lily was sitting with Nikeia and Josephine, and the Marauders were talking together about some prank that they were going to do. The three girls recognized the signs. Frank and Alice sat next to each other, smiling and eating calmly.

As everyone continued to eat, Filch, the newly instated Caretaker who took over from Apollyon Pringle a few years back, came up to the staff table and whispered something to Dumbledore. The Headmaster looked pleased, and walked out of the Great Hall. Twenty minutes later, he returned with a girl walking behind him. Whispers took place of some of the talking, and there were even a few wolf-whistles. The girl following Dumbledore was a brunette; her long hair was left down past her shoulders. She had sharp blue eyes that appeared smart and rather cunning. There was also a strong amount of bravery in them, which was why she was walking behind the headmaster to the Gryffindor table.

"Miss Evans?" asked Dumbledore, stopping beside Lily.

"Yes, Headmaster?" she said standing up and turning to the Headmaster.

"We have a new student. Her name is Stacey Wilson and she has just been made a Gryffindor, thanks to our great Sorting Hat. I would greatly appreciate if you and Mr. Potter could take her on a tour of the building at some time. Perhaps during lunch; or even if you could miss a class. However you plan it, I'm sure Miss Wilson would learn the school magnificently. I shall see you two later. Ah, Mr Black!"

Sirius looked up, his mouth full with a bunch of grapes, a stunned look on his face. Nikeia had to bite back a laugh.

"How are those grapes? I was about to try some when Mr. Filch came to get me."

Sirius's eyebrows furrowed, and he looked sideways to Remus. Moony smiled and raised his eyebrows as if saying "Well, answer the man!"

"They're brilliant, Headmaster," responded Sirius after he had swallowed.

"Splendid, splendid! Well, good day, everyone!" and with that Dumbledore turned and walked back down the aisle to the staff table.

"Oh, what a funny man…" sighed Lily, gazing after Dumbledore. James stood up, offended.

"Oi! I thought I was the funny one!"

"No! I'm the funny one!" cried Sirius as he stood and shoved James.

"No, James, you're the pathetic one, and Sirius is the stupid one," stated Remus calmly. The two men whose personalities were in question lifted their hands and "OI!"-ed at Remus. Sirius even said 'humph!' with his hands on his slim hips.

Lily laughed. She turned back to the new student. Her brown eyebrow was arched confusedly.

"Sorry about them. There's not really any viable excuse. My name is Lily Evans, and the pathetic boy with the messed up hair is James Potter," she said, glancing at James, who glared at Lily. Stacey snorted softly.

"James and I are both the Heads of our class here at Hogwarts. These are some of the other seventh years with whom you'll probably have classes. Oh, you are a seventh year, right?" Lily realized that Dumbledore hadn't actually said, but was reassured when Stacey nodded. "Well, that's Remus Lupin, he's a prefect. Um, then there's Sirius Black—the, uh, stupid one—and Peter Pettigrew. These four are more... fondly, for lack of a better word, known as the 'Marauders.' The most terrible group of ne'er-do-wells in the whole of Hogwarts history!" Lily had what she hoped was a disinterested look on her face.

To Lily's disgust, but partial amusement, and Stacey's amazement, all four of the boys who had been addressed stood and bowed to the new girl. Lily rolled her eyes. She turned to Frank and the other girls.

"This is Frank Longbottom, and his girlfriend Alice Walker, so don't get any ideas about him." Stacey chuckled and nodded to Frank and Alice, both a marvelous shade of pink. "These are another two of my dear friends, Nikeia Strathmore and Josephine Bretten. You'll meet everyone else later in your various classes, or in the common room. Oh! And I can't forget the most recent addition to our group, if you will: Samuel Donnelly and Monica Terra, both first years. Well, breakfast isn't quite over yet, so sit down and grab a plate."

Lily took her seat, and Stacey took the seat that was empty between Lily and Remus. She looked over the food, and only took only small amounts of bacon and scrambled eggs, and one half slice of toast.

"Stacey, what's wrong?" asked Frank. "Eat! You'll never regret eating a Hogwarts meal!" To emphasize Frank's statement Sirius nodded vigorously, always the food lover.

"Well, I'm sure the food is great. It's I just that I don't think the long distance Floo agreed with me," said Stacey, biting a bit of bacon. When she looked up, everyone was looking at her as if she had bright green hair. "What?" she asked, shocked.

"You- you're- oh my!" said Peter, in a squeaky voice.

Stacey cocked an eyebrow. "Me; I'm what?" she asked.

"Uh... an American!" said James, just as surprised as everybody else.

"Well, of course I'm American! What else would I be? If I was British, I would've been here all along. If I was European, I probably wouldn't have transferred here," she said amused, but putting on a face of surprise.

Everyone thought for a moment, realizing that she was right. The fierce sense of nationalism and secrecy between magical schools was epitomized in the European schools. They would have considered it rather appalling to transfer amongst the three of them. So, the idea of an American coming to Hogwarts was much more acceptable. Plus, she looked American. Something about her… The large earrings and stick-straight hair held back by two braids helped identify her. She was in a Hogwarts uniform. Of course, her tell-tale American accent gave the whole thing away.

Nobody responded to her question, though, and she continued to eat her bacon. Any further questions were hindered for the moment when owls started sweeping in from the high windows. An owl that was impeccably groomed and rather prim and proper sat down on the edge of James's water goblet, perfectly balanced. James was rather surprised, but pleased to have a letter from his parents.

Stacey was looking around in amazement. "Well, never seen that before."

The others smiled at her reaction.

"Hey, Evans-" said James, holding up his opened letter. "It's a letter from my parents. Listen to this: '_Well, I am glad that your partner is a good-natured girl, maybe she'll help you give up your tiresome ways._'"

They chuckled, and Sirius said: "I always have liked your mum. She just seems to understand things."

"Here's another bit," James continued: "'_Maybe your father and I will go and visit her parents some day. Your father does admire the Muggles and, I quote, "their ability to do so much without magic". Ask this young lady if we could have her home number, and we will set up a date for the near future_.' Well, Lily, my mum has taken a liking to you."

"Really? I never would've guessed," said Lily, sarcastically.

James smiled back with mock sweetness, and folded the letter. He turned to Stacey. "So, Stacey, what part of America do you come from?"

"Chicago. Though I went to school in Salem," said Stacey shortly, taking a sip of pumpkin juice, and wrinkling her nose slightly at the strange taste of the drink.

"Chicago; I've heard about that place. It's not exactly the best city in the world is it?" James asked.

"Well, neither is London!" said Stacey fiercely, taking James's words as an insult.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you. I merely meant to say that it isn't in the safest place in the world. And you're right, neither _is_ London," responded James.

"I'm sorry, too. I grew up in Chicago, but when I moved to school, the stereotype followed. All because of Al Capone," said Stacey, trailing off. She glanced around, as if expecting them to understand something. "That was a joke…" They still didn't get it. "Oh, come on! Al Capone?"

"Who?" asked Peter, finally.

"Al Capone," she repeated again.

"That doesn't help much, Wilson. Care to actually explain who he is? Or what?" said Sirius, reaching for some more sausage.

"He was a famous mobster. Murdered, stole, lied. All the good stuff. Finally got caught for tax evasion. Died in prison." Stacey's explanation was as lost on those around her as her joke.

Lily asked the question that most of them were thinking: "Stacey, are you… Muggleborn, by any chance?"

The American girl nodded. "Yup. Well, kind of. My mother was a witch. I'm actually related to Capone in some way. I don't know if it's actually been proven, but it's cool to say. You know, to be related to a famous mobster?"

"I suppose so," put in Alice, when the others seemed slightly reluctant to respond.

"Yeah, and if any of you dare crack jokes about it, I'll have you know, I _am_ quite good with a few hexes," said Stacey through clenched teeth. She seemed to be looking right at Sirius, as if knowing instinctively that he would be the one to do anything untoward.

He smiled engagingly, and waited for her to turn back to her bacon before mumbled something about how it's "bad to get on their bad side, those Americans." Thankfully, only James and Remus heard.

"So, what's this school like?" Stacey asked. "Salem was split into two schools, one for girls and the other for guys, but I bet it was different than here."

The others turned to Lily, expecting her to answer. She noticed the gesture, and rolled her eyes, but took up the job. "Well, Hogwarts is a great school, with a great history. There are the four houses—Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin-" James and Sirius interrupted with hisses- "Slytherin, and Gryffindor. Each is known for different characteristics, and I'm sure you'll be able to find those out eventually."

"Slytherin is known for being gits, slimy, and Dark," interjected Sirius, glaring at the table at the far end of the hall.

Stacey's eyebrows raised, both in confusion and shock.

Remus gave the explanation this time. "Sirius's family is known for turning out Dark wizards. He's a bit of a dark horse, you could say. Not only does he hate his family, he's also in Gryffindor."

"I see…" said Stacey, slowly.

"Naturally, there are things you'll pick up slowly as you go about your days here at Hogwarts. If you've had enough to eat…" Lily looked to James and saw that his plate was nearly empty. "We can give you that tour Professor Dumbledore promised you."

"I think that would be groovy. I'd love to see the school and grounds."

The other students snorted at her colloquial Muggle term—American Muggle term, no less, but did not raise an issue.

"Um, Potter, what do you think?" asked Lily.

"What? Now you've gone back to calling me Potter? What happened to last night?" asked James, another smile playing in his eyes. Sirius looked at James and wiggled his eyebrows. A loud thump was heard, and Sirius's face screwed up in pain.

"I'm sorry, _James_," said Lily, looking over at the black-haired seventeen-year-old.

"Ah, that's better. Well, our first class is Potions and we can both afford to miss it. And unless Stacey has any really famous _wizard_ relatives, Slughorn won't be much interested in her. So I-"

"Wait," interrupted Stacey. "What did that mean?"

James cleared his throat. "Slughorn loves having special people around him. Loves the idea of greatness and knowing great people. So, if you know famous people, he'll love you. If you don't, you better suck up to him or be a really great student. And, unfortunately, I don't think knowing a Muggle mobster will qualify."

James pointed the large professor out to Stacey, and then continued, "I'm perfectly up for missing Potions to show the American around." He got up and pulled his bag over his head. Lily followed suit.

"What? I'm 'the American', now?" asked Stacey, putting on an accent as she threw her own bag onto her shoulder. James started to stutter an explanation but Stacey smiled, her nose crinkling. James sighed.

"Great; she likes teasing. Absolutely wonderful."

Stacey and the others laughed, and followed Lily up to the staff table.

"Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall?" asked Lily. The two addressed professors turned and looked to Lily, James and Stacey.

"Yes, dear?" asked Dumbledore.

"We are going to show Stacey around the school during our first period, Potions. Will that be all right?" asked James, speaking before Lily could.

"Well, yes, it is fine with us, but do ask Professor Slughorn first." Dumbledore and McGonagall turned back to each other, talking softly. Lily and James did as they were told, and sure enough, Slughorn asked whether Stacey had any famous relatives. When she said that she had none other than a notorious Muggle mobster, Slughorn's face fell and he nodded his assent for their missing of his class.

James led the girls to the far side of the hall, naming off the tables to Stacey as he did so. They walked along the wall next to the Slytherin table. Stacey noticed that James didn't wave to anyone at this table. She turned to Lily; "What's up with James? Why isn't he smiling to anyone?"

"This is the Slytherin table. Gryffindor and this one are enemies of the largest sort."

"Interesting."

Lily looked back to the table and caught gazes with Severus Snape. She smiled curtly and followed James. She noticed that Stacey turned her head to look back at Snape.

"Who was that?" she asked. Lily wondered if she heard a bit of interest in Stacey's voice.

"That's Severus Snape. He's great at Potions—he's in our class—but he and James are just about the worst enemies ever. I'm not sure why, but they are. It might have something to do with something that happened a few years back, but…"

"Strange…"

"If you two are going to walk that slow, I'm going to go back to the table and get more food; Lily can do the whole tour," complained James. Lily glared at him, sped up her walk, and bumped his shoulder with hers when she came even. James winced softly, and muttered thanks. Whether it was for the hit or to her faster pace, she wasn't quite sure.

They walked around Hogwarts, informing the new student about the trick steps, short cuts, and how to stay safe from the Slytherins. She laughed at that, and asked sarcastically how to stay safe from the Gryffindors.

When Stacey asked about the outside, the two Head students led the new girl outside onto the extensive Hogwarts grounds. Stacey seemed to gravitate toward the Quidditch pitch.

As they walked towards the pitch, Lily sighed; it always turned to Quidditch.

"You like Quidditch?" asked James.

Stacey's footsteps stuttered. "Oh, I guess this would be a Quidditch field—I mean pitch—wouldn't it?" She pulled a disgusted face.

"Well, of course it's a Quidditch pitch," said James, his eyebrows raised. "What else would it be?"

"A Quodpot field."

Lily just raised her eyebrows, not sure what Quodpot was. She was familiar with Quidditch, of course, and had watched a few football games with her dad, but Quodpot?

James, who apparently knew what it was, scoffed. "Quodpot? What a rubbish game."

"Don't you dare!" cried Stacey. "It's actually a harder game to play. There's more players, which means more people to watch out for when you're flying around in the air, and…" She smirked. "More gorgeous men to admire from the stands." She bit her lip, and sent a meaningful look to Lily. Lily lips twitched. She had experience with decent-looking Quidditch players, not that she would admit it in present company.

James scoffed again. "More players mean more opportunities to pass off the Quaffle."

"Quod."

"Whatever it's called."

Stacey rolled her eyes. "It also blows up."

"What?" cried Lily, surprised in spite of herself.

"Yup. If it's held for too long, the Quod blows up."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Well, that does sound more difficult. No wonder Potter doesn't play it."

She smirked and started walking back towards the school. She glanced back once when she heard Stacey snort in laughter and saw James standing with his arms spread.

"Oi!" he cried, running to catch up with the girls. "That's not fair, Evans. I've never played it. Not because of choice, just because we don't play it here in Britain."

"Oh, Potter, relax." Lily cast him another smirk.

Stacey laughed, lightly punching James's shoulder. "It's like soccer and baseball." At their confused glances, she explained about two of the Muggle sports played in the United States. Soccer, or football, was played, but it was nowhere near as popular as the purely American Muggle game of baseball. Lily could tell that James appreciated the attempt at soothing his ego. She just sighed, and listened as they discussed favorite teams as they walked around the castle.

Stacey followed the national Quidditch team, but preferred following the Midwest Eagles Quodpot team, calling the players "her boys" and listing a great number of games (she didn't use the term "matches" as James and Lily did) that she had seen. Lily didn't say anything, but she got the feeling that Stacey didn't actually pay to attend every matches.

Nevertheless, Lily enjoyed the hour that they walked through and around the school, appreciating the quick wit and sarcasm of the other girl. She didn't seem to be as enraptured and attracted to the Quidditch captain, which further added to Lily's liking of the girl. The allusions to sneaking into Quodpot games, rivalries with schoolmates, and possible family history did make Lily slightly wary.

Later that night, after dinner, Lily was walking up the girls' dormitory stairs. She smiled, remembering how Stacey had marveled at the school, and how all of the teachers loved her. As she was about to enter her old dormitory, she heard her name spoken from within.

"So, what is it with Lily and James? Are they together or what?" asked the tell-tale American accent.

"Well, ever since second year, James has had a crush on Lily. She has disliked him from the start. Probably because of the manner that Sirius and James walk about the school; notorious troublemakers they most certainly are!" said Nikeia.

"So, they aren't dating?" asked Stacey. Lily heard some chuckling and pressed her ear closer to the door.

"Not yet they aren't. It'll only be a matter of time. If you had asked us a few weeks ago, we would have been able to say that she would never allow herself to sink to that level!" said Josey, though Lily heard laughter playing on her tone. "Soon enough," she ended, rather enigmatically.

Lily squirmed a little bit. The part about the past was true, but she couldn't say anything about the future.

"But, Stacey," came Alice's voice, a note of surprise in her voice. "If I didn't know better, I would think that you fancied James!"

"'Fancied?' That's a term we don't hear often in the U.S."

"Well, it means the same as 'like'," said Josey.

"Oh well, yeah, I figured that out!" said the American. "Well, James is cute, and he seems to be nice enough, so I don't see what would be wrong to try to... At least, while Lily's making up her mind…." she let her sentence fade away, guessing that the others knew what she meant.

As Stacey spoke those words, Lily felt a strange and foreign sensation in her stomach. It couldn't be jealously, could it? No. She had nothing to be jealous about. She didn't care if James and some other girl got together. She and James were just friends. Lily wouldn't allow herself to be jealous. She would allow herself, however, to put an end to this conversation before Nikeia and Josey could give anything else away. She composed her face and opened the dormitory door.

The girls were lying on their own beds; Stacey had taken the one that stood where Lily's bed once stood. A navy blue trunk sat at the foot, from which spilled a few articles of Muggle clothing, including a tie-dyed shirt.

"Oh, Lily!" cried Nikeia. "You've come back to us again?"

"Yes, well, I just thought to come up and see how you terrible girls were treating our new classmate," said Lily, putting on a stern face. "Making sure you weren't trying to get her to, I don't know, spill the secrets of the guys she has 'wooed' back in America, hmmm?..."

Lily's disapproving face soon crumbled and she began laughing with everyone else.

The rest of the night was spent in easy chatter. The girls of Hogwarts told Stacey about the teachers to avoid, if possible, and the students. Strangely, Stacey seemed eager to meet Severus Snape again and give him a piece of her American mind. Everyone laughed again, and not long afterwards finally said goodnight.

Lily had her fourth detention to attend to, and after she cleaned the Charms classroom, McGonagall told her and James that she would tell them when the next detention would be. Lily was thankful that she wouldn't have to worry about the dreadful detention for awhile.

**Author's Notes: **I'm American. I've portrayed a certain character just the way I want her; not laughing at Americans, not hating them. If anyone takes offense at this character, I'm sorry. Thanks to **Bookworm Federation Unlimited** (MNFF)for the name "Stacey".


	10. Could it be Jealousy?

**Chapter Ten - Could It Be Jealousy?**

All of the teachers at Hogwarts seemed to like Stacey. She was a pretty good student, even though the schools in America were a little behind British schools. McGonagall had a solution to this.

She caught the small group of students as they left their Charms classroom. This was the class that most of them were taking, though Peter was not present.

She pulled James and Stacey aside and spoke to them for a moment.

When they rejoined the group and started walking again, Stacey started speaking.

"She asked if James would help me catch up. I'm a bit behind, so I could use all the help I can get," she explained.

"You're welcome to ask me for anything, you know," offered Lily.

"Thanks!"

At the next intersection of hallways they split off, heading for their different classes.

At lunch, the Marauders seemed subdued, and didn't talk as much as usual. Remus looked tired, and the other three melancholic. And yet there was a faint sense of jitteriness in James and Sirius.

Lily looked to her other friends, who had seemed to notice the same thing. They didn't have any reasons, however.

Lily didn't know what was wrong. Perhaps they had stayed up late last night planning a prank or just being young men.

She was also had rather shocked to see McGonagall ask James, and not her, to help Stacey catch up. She also didn't know what James thought about being a tutor to Stacey. Her question was answered later that night, when they were all sitting in the Gryffindor common room. James and Stacey sat in a corner—rather close together, as Lily noticed—looking at a textbook. Stacey seemed to lean closer every once in a while and James did nothing to remedy the situation. Lily's eyebrows furrowed, and wondered if the American was acting on her words from last night.

However, she was forced to return to the game of wizard's chess she was losing to Nikeia. The main reason for this was that Sirius was whispering directions into Nikeia's ear. The tall young woman giggled each time he leant close, and smiled broadly up at him when the hint panned out well.

Lily couldn't help but wish James was helping her out.

Later, when James and Lily left the common room to do their rounds, James asked Lily a question.

"Hey, Lily?"

Lily looked up to James.

"I have to be somewhere, so would you mind terribly if I left you alone for the rest of the round?"

"What?" asked Lily, incredulous. "Why? Is everything okay, James?"

"I can't tell you, I'm sorry, but can I please leave you now?" He seemed anxious to leave, and Lily, seeing the urgency in his eyes and hearing it in his voice, nodded him goodbye.

"What about McGonagall?"

"Well, she knows about this," called James, from about ten feet away.

"Potter, is this a detention you somehow earned without anyone else knowing?" asked Lily, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well, sort of... I really have to go Lily; I'll see you tomorrow," said James, turning and walking briskly away.

Lily's eyebrows furrowed and she watched as James run down the hall to the stairway that would lead him down to the exit. Lily turned and began walking. She stopped in front of a window, marveling at the way the full moon shone through the darkness of the night. She looked down to the grounds and saw a large black shape, rather like a dog, run across the lawn, and a lighter one galloping like a stag after it. Thinking it odd that a stag—especially a white one—would be running across the Hogwarts grounds, she watched the stag and the dog disappear a moment later. It was just as odd that the stag and the dog were running side-by-side. Then, she thought that it must've been just a coincidence that they appeared at the same time as James if he were to have gone outside.

She wasn't sure where her mind was taking her—James was in detention, not outside—so she shrugged.

A suspicion of Severus Snape's from years ago niggled at her mind, but she pushed it aside. She had never quite brought herself around to actually believing it, but she couldn't deny it had a truthful weight.

She began walking again towards one of the more central hallways (if that was even possible in the castle) when she heard a shuffle of feet and then the creak of a door. She paused, listening. A faint rustle came again from down the hallway. She frowned, took out her wand and held it aloft. She said a spell inside her head and a ball of light burst from the tip.

It hovered for a second and then floated quickly down the corridor to hover above the door to a small broom closet. Lily walked over, shaking her head but smiling coyly. The spell she had just used was one she had created herself, and she was rather proud of it. It gave whoever said the spell, verbal or not, the ability to find a person who was without a magical enchantment. It worked well at this moment, for whoever was hiding in the closet was suddenly quite found out.

"Whoever's inside the closet, come on out," said Lily. A few seconds later, the door creaked open and a long-haired girl walked out.

"Stacey? What are you doing out of bed at this hour?" said Lily, staring at the American in surprise.

"Well, I was in the library, and then that vulture kicked me out, and I thought that I had enough time to… to send out a letter, but… I hadn't planned that anyone would be in this hallway. I was just a bit startled when I heard footsteps," said Stacey. "Overreacted a bit, I guess, by jumping into a closet."

"Well, the Owlery is in that direction," said Lily pointing to the blackness behind her.

"Is it? I thought I was going in the right direction." Stacey put a hand to her forehead, as if trying to visualize the school. She whimpered rather helplessly.

"Well, it's okay. Come on, I'll show you back to the dorms. You can send the letter in the morning. You're not supposed to leave after curfew," intoned Lily, in a reprimanding but soft voice. She beckoned to a sorry-looking Stacey and they walked towards the dormitories together.

"Hey, where's James?" asked Stacey.

"Oh, he had to go and do something," said Lily.

"Oh," muttered Stacey, watching her feet walk. "By the way, since we're on the subject, what do you think of him?"

"What? Of, of James?" stammered Lily, shocked at the question and not ready for it.

When Stacey started to reiterate her question, Lily held up a hand saying that she heard what Stacey had said.

She knew, of course, Josey's, Nikeia's and Alice's response to this question. Though she did accept that what they said wasn't inaccurate, she started by saying, "Well, he can be a sweet person, and he's great at Quidditch, and a very good student, if that was what you were aiming to get as a response."

Stacey shrugged slowly, and looked at Lily again. Taking that as a cue to say something more, she said, "Well, I didn't like James in any way for the longest time, but it was only just recently that we came onto even footing. But other than being new friends and working together, I don't suppose there is much positive to go on yet."

"Much positive?"

"Our previous years of school were less than fond." She left it at that, not knowing why she had even said as much.

"Oh," mumbled Stacey. "Well I have... noticed James. He's pretty gorgeous, and he has helped me with classes. But, I was wondering if you'd mind if I asked him to that village place. I wouldn't mind spending a day with him. "

Lily had stopped walking, right after Stacey said "ask him to that village place."

"Lily?" said Stacey, turning around. "Is something wrong? Is that Peeves dude floating above me with a bag of chalk?" asked Stacey, daring to look up. Lily remembered the incident from earlier that day when the poltergeist greeted the new student with a bag of chalk dropped from the ceiling. Somehow, none of the other seventh years had remembered to mention Peeves.

"What? No! It's just that I was... surprised, um, that... you were asking _me_ if it was all right if you asked James out. I don't see why you'd ask me," said Lily. Underneath her confusion she was squirming again.

"I just wanted to know if you'd mind," the brunette explained.

"Oh, yes."

"So, you don't mind?" asked Stacey, hopefully.

"Yes."

"Yes, you do mind?"

"No."

"No, you don't mind if I ask him out?"

"No."

"Lily! Make up your mind! Can I ask him out or not!" blurted Stacey.

"No, you can't ask him out because he is already taken!" said Lily in a rush of words. When those words were out of her mouth, Lily couldn't believe what she had said. She whimpered much like Stacey had. Taken? By who? Certainly not herself.

_Evans, think!_

"What?" Stacey's eyes were wide. "Taken? By who?"

"Um," Lily thought furiously and in an instant she had her answer: "Himself!"

Stacey stared at Lily, one eyebrow raised.

Lily stammered to explain, not sure from where in Merlin's pointy hat she had pulled such a strange answer. "What I mean is that because he is who he is, because he's a Marauder, he... he... well he is someone special and can't get caught up in anything other than who he is. If he were to give his heart to anyone, Hogwarts would no longer be the fun place that it is. He wouldn't be a Marauder, he would be... in love." Lily couldn't believe the words she was saying.

Stacey continued to stare at the redhead.

"Stacey, James is a troublemaker. It is what he loves doing. If anything were to get in the way of him being who he is, he... well, he... wouldn't be who he is." Lily knew it sounded lame, and she suspected Stacey Wilson did as well.

"Uh…huh," came slowly from Stacey. "Well, I wasn't expecting to fall in love with him… just go out with him."

Lily opened her mouth as if to respond, but started walking again instead. She heard Stacey start to follow. They walked in silence to the dorm.

At the portrait, Stacey turned to Lily.

"Well, thanks for walking me. It'll take a while to get used to things." She said the password and stepped inside the portrait hole when the Fat Lady had swung open, grumbling. "Well, I guess I'll think on the James thing a bit more. I suppose what you really wanted to say was that I can't have James because you want him. But that's just me being a hopeless romantic, and putting pieces and ideas together." She waved her hand flutteringly in the air, and smiled a bit.

Lily was standing there, flabbergasted.

"I've heard about you two," Stacey said from around the side of the portrait. "I should probably back off. Well, except to say that I think you should ask him to Hogs-beer… Hogs-ale… whatever the heck it is! Silly name for a village anyway! 'Night!" Stacey disappeared, and the portrait closed behind her.

Lily was still standing their, shocked.

She could vaguely hear the Fat Lady attempting to talk to her, but she just smiled distractedly and walked away.

_Americans could be so precocious_, she thought.

Lily Evans go out with James Potter? Even farther fetched: Lily Evans ask James Potter out? Preposterous. But, did she want James as more than a friend? No. Was she jealous at Stacey for wanting to go out with James? No. Did she care if Stacey went with James to Hogsmeade? No. Did she believe the answers she just gave in her head?

No.


	11. More Detentions

**Chapter Eleven - More Detentions**

James met Sirius and Peter by the doors; they transfigured quickly and took off towards the Whomping Willow. The full moon shone brightly above the Hogwarts grounds. Prongs raced behind Padfoot, eventually surpassing him. Wormtail was sitting on Prongs's back, on which he had jumped after they Transfigured. At the secret tunnel under the Whomping Willow, they met Moony, and pushed him into the passageway, as the transformation was now taking place. Inside the Shrieking Shack, they calmed the werewolf and eventually the four animals were able to go into the forest. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs did this every month, and they thanked God and Merlin it was only for one night.

They returned, as usual, to the school a bit after daybreak, all back to normal as James, Remus, Sirius and Peter. Then, under the cover of a cloak that James had been given by his father, they snuck back to their dormitories.

As James walked into his own common room, wincing as he moved, he stopped dead.

Lily was sitting on the couch, facing the fire.

James dared not move. Lily shifted in the couch; her head fell slightly forward, almost as if she was putting the last finishing touched onto an essay. James took a single, silent step forward and waited for the thing he knew would inevitably follow this moment; he had watched her as she did homework enough to know her every study-homework habit. However, that moment did not occur; her head did not come back up, nor tilt from side-to-side as she was wont to do when examining an essay.

James took a deep breath, and knew suspected she was not writing an essay. He came up even with the arm of the couch, and saw that Lily was, in fact, sleeping. He grinned, knowing that he had escaped questioning about his late return… for now.

He started to walk into the washroom, but stopped. He realized that he couldn't well leave her there, knowing that if she woke up uncomfortable in the morning, she would be as disagreeable as the government of England if the ravens were to leave the Tower of London (not that he had every actually understood that idea, being wizard-born). He walked silently over, and pulled book, parchment, quill and ink off her lap. He lifted her gently into his arms, chuckling when her head lolled against his shoulder, right under his chin.

He carried her slowly to her room and gently placed her on her bed. He looked down on her, smiling. Reaching out, he moved aside a piece of hair from her face and leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. He certainly hoped he'd have more chances to do that, but he felt it wise to take the opportunity.

James turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. Moony had been a bit more vigorous than usual and had dealt Prongs a pretty bad blow to the back of his neck. Prongs could remember being slightly disoriented, but thankfully nothing too serious happened as a result. He didn't really want to discover what it was like to pass out as a large white stag. James shuffled slowly to his own dorm and walked to his bed, kicking off his shoes and throwing his robe to the side as he did so. He was planning on taking a shower, but the navy blue quilt was a bit too enticing.

He fell onto his bed, and his last thought was that he hoped he wouldn't look too bad tomorrow.

Lily awoke the next morning very comfortable, except that her robe had twisted around her frame and her hand was tingling from lying on it funny. After she opened her eyes, she wondered how she had gotten to her bedroom; the last thing she had seen were the dying embers of the fire in the common room. She shrugged and rubbing her eyes, rose from bed. After pulling a clean uniform from her wardrobe, she walked to the bathroom.

When no sound responded to her knock on the door, she slowly opened the door, only to shriek and close her eyes.

James was standing—without a shirt—his head leaning against the wall and appearing to be asleep. Lily blinked in surprise a few times, wondered how he could possibly be asleep, and then walked over. As she gently shook his bare shoulder, she noticed a dark bruise on the back of his neck, a couple of scratches on his face and a pretty nasty looking gash on his side. She was worried. Certainly detention could not have possibly put him in that much trouble.

He stirred slightly and she shook him again. This time, he woke up entirely and looked to his left. He jumped at the sight of Lily and began to rub his eyes vigorously.

"Lily? What are you doing here?" asked James, his voice tired and cracking.

"Well, until I opened the door and found you asleep against the wall, I was hoping to take a shower," said Lily, keeping a chuckle down. She also tried to keep her eyes off of James's well-defined shoulders and trim waist. "But I see that you have occupied it so I'll go..." She turned to walk back out the door, but James's hand stayed her.

"No, it's all right; I've already taken my shower. It didn't help much to wake me up, though."

"McGonagall must've worked you pretty hard to get you that tired. And why are you bruised and scratched?" asked Lily.

James looked at her with a confused expression in his hazel eyes, but then comprehension dawned.

"Oh, the bruises… yeah. It was a pretty… gruesome detention. We were out in the Forbidden Forest, uh, collecting some night-growing plant for Professor Sprout. And the plant was rather evil," he added, chuckling. He gathered up his things (a dirty uniform, Lily noticed, not pajamas) and walked past the girl.

Lily sensed that under his laughter, James was a bit flustered. She also had a feeling that he wasn't being completely truthful.

"Well, wait a moment." Lily dropped her clothes onto the floor, and pulled out her willow wand. She closed the distance between her and James, then moved his arm away from his torso. James winced again when she very lightly touched the cut there.

"How did that happen?"

"Uh, branch with thorns… Cut right through my robes."

"Uh, huh." Lily hoped her disbelief was apparent, but she muttered a spell, and the gash started to heal. James sighed.

"Thanks; it was pretty hard to shower with that there," he admitted, chuckling. He smiled at Lily's blush. "You don't have to worry about the others; they don't hurt as much."

"But that bruise; it looks terrible."

"It's fine…"

"No, it's not." She sighed. "But, if you want to be a troll and enjoy the pain, come with me; I can give you a salve that you can rub on that to make it heal. It doesn't work right away; so you'll still feel some pain."

"What? I don't want to be a troll! It just doesn't hurt that much; it seems a waste to use something on it."

Lily raised an eyebrow, and walked back into her room. James leaned against the door as Lily rummaged through her trunk. She came up with a little covered bowl.

"Here, take this; you don't need to use that much, but it'll make the bruise go away."

"Thanks, Lily," said James, grateful. "I would ask you how I can repay you, but I can tell that you'll take the sight of me without a shirt as payment enough." He smiled suavely as Lily blushed. "Ah… you _were_ looking, weren't you?"

Lily exhaled sharply, keeping her head down as she blushed further, and slipped past him back into the bathroom.

James smiled after her. "I'll see you later, then. Do you want me to wait for you outside?" he asked.

Lily turned back. "If you want to. I can't really stop you, can I?"

"No, probably not," James admitted.

"Then why even bother asking?" Lily asked, exasperated.

"Because a certain redhead instilled in me the want to use manners more often, in hope that one day, she would say yes." James smirked.

Lily glared, but James was happy to see a slight smile in the corners of her lips.

"Smart girl, that one."

"Indeed; the smartest here."

Lily declined further comment, and began to walk back into the bathroom.

Before she reached it however, she turned. "Potter?"

He turned from his own doorway.

"I fell asleep last night in the common room. I woke up this morning in my bed… Do you have any idea how that could've happened?"

James smirked, and merely said, "Magic."

He entered his bedroom, chuckling softly.

She raised an eyebrow as his absent form, and as soon as the bathroom door was shut, she chuckled softly. _What a character_.

Just as Lily had suspected, James had waited for her and together, they walked to the Gryffindor dormitory to meet the rest of their friends. Lily's eyes took on a look of bewilderment when she saw the rest of the Marauders looking as equally tired. _How long were they in the Forest?_ she wondered.

Sirius had a scratch on his cheek that looked like it could have possibly come from falling out of bed because he was so tired, or as if he, too, had been cut with a thorn. Remus looked to be the most tired of them all, with dark circles under his light brown eyes. He also had little bruises and cuts. Peter was the only one who didn't look too tired, though he usually looked slightly tired and teary-eyed.

They had breakfast, which being the first meal of the day was normally subdued. Without the Marauders cracking a few jokes, however, it was more subdued than usual.

Lily left with Nikeia to their Astronomy class. They began to go over star charts, an activity that was preparing them for their NEWTs.

Lily rememered that last night had been the full moon. Suddenly, the conversation she had with a certain Slytherin a few years ago, and thought of again only last night, came back to her. She wondered if it could really be true…

The day went much the same as any other day. Stacey and James continued to go over things when they had the chance; during lunch, or break periods. Lily found that she was once again a bit jealous.

They only difference between this day and the others—beside the normal random acts—came at dinner, when everyone at the Slytherin table left the Great Hall dressed just slightly different...

The Marauders and Frank and the girls walked into the Great Hall after depositing their bags in their dorms and cleaning up a bit before the meal. Sam and Monica did not sit with the Marauders and the other seventh years; they had found new friends in their own year, and no one begrudged them the new company. They still sat near, but they did not talk as much with the seventh years.

Dumbledore had clapped his hands and the food appeared on the tables in a way that no one knew; at least, no one who hadn't been down in the kitchens in their Hogwarts career. The Marauders knew exactly how the food appeared on the plates every breakfast, lunch and supper.

After taking enough food to satisfy them for a bit (they were definitely were going to eat more) the Marauders began talking quietly to one another. Lily, Nikeia and Josey looked to each other in exasperation, knowing exactly what was going to happen. It was the starting, or completing, of the final stages of a prank. The girls filled Stacey in on how to tell when something bad was going to happen. She was nodding her head, taking it all in, when the bad thing happened.

There were a few screams, a few shrieks, a few yells and a few clattering plates. Lily lifted her head and her eyes got _very _wide. Nikeia, who was sitting on the same side of the table, had an identical appearance on her lovely features. Stacey, Josey and Alice turned quickly to see what was going on, and soon, all five of the girls wore the same expression.

Every single one of the Slytherins were wearing identical pink—baby pink or rose pink or neon pink—robes, each covered with an atrocious amount of bows, beads and ribbons. Their hair, too, took on a style that would have made a clown jealous. Red—not orange-red like Lily's hair, but tomato red, ketchup red, or bad-grade-red—covered the heads of each and every Slytherin. Lily's eyes started to water because of the brightness and atrociousness of the situation.

Everything was silent for a few seconds, and then more screaming, shouting and clattering filled the Great Hall. The angrier ones charged for the Gryffindor table, but were thrown back by an invisible barrier, apparently set up just for that reason.

Another sound filled the Great Hall with such a force that it shook the floating candles.

Laughter.

Every person who was not a Slytherin was rolling around, hardly breathing for the laughing. Even some of the teachers at the Staff Table were cracking. Dumbledore, too, was smiling and chuckling. Slughorn, even though it was his house that had been affected, was jovially laughing and beaming, as he always loved a good joke.

Nearly every person at the far end of the hall wearing the offensive garments was trying to disenchant the coloring, but nothing worked. Dumbledore stood, cleared his throat and the Hall slowly went silent.

"Well, I don't think I need to ask who has done this, so fifty points from Gryffindor." Most Gryffindors didn't moan or groan, in fact they seemed to be happy that the Headmaster counted fifty points a fair enough punishment for the discomfort of a quarter of the school, and joy and laughter for the other three-quarters. "Now, gentlemen, how long will this enchantment last?" asked Dumbledore, turning to the only four young men who could have possibly played such a prank.

All four boys stood, smiles broad, and James addressed the Headmaster.

"Well, Headmaster, we figured that the Slytherins are quite mean, so their... predicament... will last until a nice comment is made. This means that each Slytherin must make an honest apology or comment—a positive comment—to someone not in their own house and they will return to normal," said James, a smirk now taking over his features.

Dumbledore chuckled and nodded slightly to James. "Well, I'm sure the Slytherins will be able to have their enchantment thrown off by the end of the day." A great amount of coughing erupted at this statement, and a few Slytherins once again tried to break though the barrier. McGonagall gestured down to Dumbledore, and whispered to him. "Professor McGonagall is of the opinion that points are not quite enough punishment for you. She suggests working in the trophy room, polishing and cleaning until it is once again pristine, no matter how many nights it takes. I must say I agree with her. Do you think you can handle that?" asked Dumbledore, a smile still on his lips.

James, Remus, Peter, and Sirius's faces fell. The trophy room was no fun to clean and, as it was only reserved for the worst of detentions, it probably hadn't been cleaned in a while. Not since the last time James and Sirius had been ordered to clean it anyway.

The Marauders looked to each other and groaned softly, but turned back to Dumbledore and shrugged good-naturedly.

Lily grinned at their punishment and couldn't wait to watch them walk back into their common rooms very tired. Though... a part of her did admire the enchantment they had placed upon the Slytherins. It must've been difficult to come up with and to research. And, it caused discomfort to the Slytherins, so it was very good.

Stacey, however, was not as agreeable. "How could they do that?" she cried.

"What? The enchantment? It's probably a spell they found somewhere. Probably a few-"

"No! I mean," Stacey interrupted Lily's explanation, "how could they give a whole House reason to be ridiculed?"

"Stacey, they're just Slytherins," said Josey, frowning.

"They're still people. And students. That was a nasty thing to do." She stabbed a piece of chicken.

"Oh, come on, American!" said Sirius, lifting his glass in her direction. "It's just a good natured prank. Not anywhere near as mean, if that's what you want to call it, as when we managed to change the Hufflepuffs' glasses into fat hedgehogs. They totally destroyed the lunch table."

The four boys started laughing with the memory. Lily frowned; it had not been easy to wrangle the silly creatures together—and she wasn't thinking solely about the hedgehogs.

"This was just changing their clothes and adding an emotional level to it," finished Sirius. The self-satisfied smirk on his face did nothing to calm Stacey.

"And what if they pranked you?" Stacey challenged.

James barked in laughter. "Ha! Sirius would look amazing in pink!"

Sirius angled a kick under the table at James.

"Stacey," Remus put in, ignoring the antics of his two friends. "The Slytherins prefer to act in secret. We'll get paid back for it eventually; it just won't be in front of the teachers. That way they can skive off the punishment. They're slippery enough to do that."

Stacey still didn't seem appeased, but added a final statement: "It was still a horrible prank."

"It's just a way of life for the Marauders, Stacey," added Alice. "Don't worry. Cleaning the trophy room is horrible enough. They'll not be happy about that over the next few days."

The four Marauders had the decency to grimace.


	12. Secrets, Questions, Answers, and Doubts

**Chapter Twelve - Secrets, Questions, Answers, and Doubt**

The detentions of the school-renowned Marauders started the following Monday. For that whole week, James returned to the common room very late. In the mornings, the Marauders all looked ready to allow their heads to fall into their porridge. In fact, this unfortunately happened to dear old Sirius and, to avoid embarrassment, he laughed about it directly afterward. Nikeia's effort to help him clean up helped his attitude immensely.

On the fifth night of work, James came in, removed the gold-and-red tie from around his throat, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his white shirt, and flopped over the back of the couch. He groaned.

Upside down, he could see Lily, who was sitting at the table by the open window, look up from her essay and raise an eyebrow. He could only assume he looked a sight, with his back on the seat of the couch and his knees hanging over the back. His head was hanging within a few inches of the floor.

"Well, you're back a bit earlier than I expected. Did you finally finish the Trophy Room?" asked Lily, returning to her Potions essay. James just nodded and groaned again.

"Then, what's wrong?" asked Lily.

"It's our turn to patrol the corridors tonight," moaned James. He heard Lily slap her hand to her forehead, some rummaging, and then departing footsteps. They stopped soon however, and returned to him.

"I'm not letting you get out of this just because you're tired and sore. _We _are the Heads meaning _we_ have to patrol the corridors _together_. Come on, Potter!" She walked back to the couch and managed to pull James onto his feet and half drag him to the door, grabbing his shoes and over-robe on the way. Once in the hallway, James walked slowly, but at least he walked. Rubbing his eyes fiercely with the heels of his hands, he was able to regain some of his energy before shrugging on his robe and hopping into his shoes.

"I've got to stop having these late nights," he said to himself.

Lily must've heard however, because she said: "Yeah, it seems McGonagall just loves keeping you up late,"

"McGonagall? This is the first detention she- oh," he stopped abruptly. He remembered his excuse for Remus's last transformation. "Yeah, she does keep us up late."

"But you _do_ like McGonagall any other day, right?" asked Lily.

"Well, of course!" said James, rolling his eyes slightly, not sure why she would ask such a question. "How could I not like McGonagall? She's strict and gives us plenty of homework," he said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. James and Lily looked at each other and smiled. "Yeah, I do like McGonagall. She is a marvelous teacher. And, after all, she did give us the name 'Marauders.'"

"Indeed." They walked in silence for a few moments. "You know how we were just talking about human transfiguration in class?" asked Lily, keeping her eyes on the stone floor in front of her. "Have you ever, well, wondered what form you would take if you were to be an Animagus?"

Her voice was light and innocent, but he had heard it before when Sirius was trying to get information from him. So, James stopped in mid-step.

"What's wrong?" asked Lily, turning back to look at him. "Is Peeves floating above me with a bag of chalk?" She looked up at the ceiling, but it was a diversionary tactic James had seen before.

"What? No, Peeves isn't there!" James felt his eyebrows furrow in confusion and a bit of shock.

_Could she know?_ was the thought that ran through his head.

Aloud, he said, "No, I guess I never really thought about my Animagus form. Not very much anyway." At least it wasn't a straight out lie. He did think about it, but not as little as he said.

Lily pulled a face and put up her hands. James understood her look and action to say: "Give me a wild guess."

"Um... well, probably something powerful and... a leader..." James offered, shrugging and only slightly self-conscious. He told his face to adopt a look of carelessness as he answered. He couldn't let her know any more than was necessary.

"I think that would make sense, for you. But, what do you think determines the form?" Lily asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Well, I believe that the form of your Animagus, if you manage to become one, and your Patronus, once again if you manage to conjure one, should be one in the same. It would be kind of like the form of your soul." Having succeeded in the transformation, he was actually a good source of the information. His hand had been the first to change, followed a week later by antlers growing from his scalp. It had come as a shock at first, but after a bit of research he became excited at the prospect of being a stag.

"Ah, that makes sense. Then yours would probably also be tall and handsome, right? To reflect your arrogance…"

James gently pushed Lily's arm. She laughed lightly, and the part of him trying to keep the Marauder's secret a secret loved the sound of it.

"Gee, thanks Evans," he drawled. "So glad you can see that I'm trying to change."

Lily laughed again, and smiled at him. He smiled back, knowing that she was only teasing. Well, mostly teasing. She had never done anything like it before, not really.

"Anyway, have you ever conjured a Patronus?" Lily asked.

"Um... yeah. Professor Gog mentioned it during a Defense class a while ago. And we were curious—thinking that it would be a good thing to know if ever we ran into a Dementor—not that that is very likely. But, we looked it up. We practiced conjuring them in the Room… in an empty classroom. Took us a while, but we figured it out."

"What form was yours?" asked Lily, her voice curious.

"Ah... a stag," said James, very hesitantly.

"Of course! It's a leader, it's tall and handsome, and very strong. So you're theory holds true. Could you imagine transforming into a stag?" Her voice took on a faraway sound, and James tensed. Yes, he could imagine. Before he could respond, she added, "And what about the others?"

He sighed, glad to be off the topic of his form but still nervous at her questioning. His brow furrowed. "Sirius's is a large dog and Remus's is... um... hmm, I think it was something big. He did have some trouble with the spell; our encouragement helped him, but it took a while for it to be a fully corporeal form..." Remus had cast a wolf, but James felt like withholding that information. "Peter never managed to create a corporeal Patronus. He never has been such a good wizard, unfortunately."

Lily chuckled, and James was sure she understood what he meant.

His mind had begun to churn. Her questions had a reason, they must have. He had vowed to never tell anyone the reason for his late night excursions once-a-month, since it wasn't his secret to tell, but now, when Lily was dangerously close to finding out the reason with that brilliant mind of her, he didn't really know what to do.

"Lily," he said suddenly, "why are you asking me these types of things?"

"Just out of curiosity. I don't you four very well, so might as well start now."

James stopped Lily with a hand and turned her toward him. "Evans, you are a smart witch; do you know something?"

"James, I'm just asking these questions to find out more about you." Lily she was looking into his eyes as she spoke and she made the grave mistake of blinking as she did so. James heart stopped for a moment.

"You're not telling me the truth. Please, Lily; I must know if you know!" He could hear the urgency and force in his voice, and knew it was the tone of one who was hiding something and needed answers.

Lily held his gaze, searching his eyes.

"Well, on that night when you left me during patrolling," she began, "I walked over to that window." She pointed the window at the end of the hall and started walking toward it. She didn't stop until she was once again looking out of it. "I saw two figures of creatures run across the lawn, in the direction of the Whomping Willow. I began to wonder...

"Then, when I saw you leaning against the bathroom wall, half asleep-" she chuckled slightly here, and James groaned remembering the scene- "I started putting the pieces together. You and the rest of the guys had bruises and cuts. Remus had been acting funny; tired, worn, but a bit agitated. Like he was dreading something that was going to happen. I've noticed this before, in previous years. And Nikeia told me that Sirius came in the common room late that night; she worried when he didn't show up after dinner to talk in the common room."

James could see her gulp, and she trailed her fingers down the pane of glass. "I had Astronomy the next day, and realized that it had been the full moon. And, I remembered something someone had once said to me. It was actually Snape; you remember, we were close until a year or two ago…" she said, glancing up at James.

He had moved to stand beside her, but distanced enough that the faint light from the window was not on him. James nodded, grimacing slightly. He had hated that they had been so close in their early years. It had made him incredibly jealous. Then, he realized that if she and Snape were so close, he probably would have told her something about what happened when he tried to follow them down into the passageway below the Whomping Willow. His heart froze again, and he realized she was very close to guessing. She was smart; she'd be able to put things together.

"Something had happened to him," she was continuing to say, "and it involved you four. I don't know what it was; he never told me.

"Sev- Snape did say that he thought Remus was a-" she shivered "-is a werewolf. It makes some form of sense. Remus was acting tired and distant the day before the full moon. I saw two animals running toward the forest that night. I realize now that both of them were large enough to take care of something like a werewolf; a stag and a large dog. And from what you told me, it could very well be you and Sirius. You're both intelligent to learn how to become Animagus," she admitted.

Though he knew she couldn't see his face as he had remained in the shadows beside the window, he could see hers. It was so full of confusion and despair that his heart nearly broke.

"Then you four come back scarred and tired. And if you were telling the truth—even partially—and you were in the Forbidden Forest that night, it would make sense; of course you'd be cut and bruised from running through the forest with a werewolf. But it seems too ridiculous to be believable. Remus? Kind, dear, quiet Remus; a werewolf? It just doesn't make sense!" Lily paused for a breath, then admitted: "The only thing is, is that it does! It makes perfect sense." She leaned forward to fold her arms on the windowsill and place her chin atop them, her eyes looking as if they just might start to water with the weight of the situation.

James continued to look out the window at the sky and grounds. It was some time before either spoke.

"Werewolves don't usually have control of their situation. It can happen to anyone," James said.

He caught Lily's glance. He sighed, reluctant to tell her—to tell Remus's secret—but he didn't think he really had a choice now. She knew already, even if she was hesitant to admit it. "It's true, Lily. Remus was bitten when he was a kid. Peter, Sirius, and I are Animagi. On the night of the full moon we transform to help keep Remus calm. Usually we do get scraped up a bit," divulged James.

Lily straightened and looked to James.

"James," she muttered, her voice full of pain.

"It is true, Lily. We found out about Remus early on. We didn't become Animagi until our fifth year. Sirius turns into a large black dog, as it is who he is; strong, brave, better and kinder than he appears. Silly, revels in attention, playful. Peter is a rat; maybe because rats band together and Peter had just sort of attached himself to us, I don't know. He did need a lot of help, though, learning how to become an Animagus. I'm a stag; smart, strong, brave, and a leader. Oh, and you can't forget the tall and handsome bit."

Lily chuckled faintly.

James placed a hand on her arm, and slowly turned Lily toward him. As they looked into each other's green eyes, he did something he never did unless it was the night of the full moon.

Lily gasped; the eyes into which she was looking remained, but the features around them started to shift, fading and changing. Then, a stag was standing there, with near-white fur, strong antlers, and large hazel eyes.

"James?" she whispered in barely an audible voice. The stag gently tossed his head. Lily slowly reached out a slightly shaky hand and touched the end of the muzzle.

She quickly drew her hand back, but since the stag didn't dissolve or do anything of the sort, she reached out again.

She drew her hand up along the length of the stag's nose and then back down with the back of her fingers. She brought moved her hand to stroke the cheek of the large animal. She blinked slowly, still trying to take it all in, and when she opened them, James was back. She quickly withdrew her hand from his slightly stubble-covered cheek and stepped backwards, embarrassed that she had touched James in such a way.

"Do you believe me now, Lily?" whispered James.

Lily nodded. "Yes, I do. I don't think I have a choice when everything points to it. And I am glad that you underwent such a... difficult feat to help a friend," she said softly. James smiled and squeezed her arm once again.

"But, Lily, you can't let anyone now. Even Remus. He's gone through so much, he doesn't need anything else to hurt him."

Lily gasped. "You can't think I would ever want to hurt him? I will keep his secret; nothing between us will change. He's a dear man that deserves the best, even if he is a werewolf."

"Thank you," whispered James. "He may not admit it, but he just wants to be loved."

Lily chuckled in response to James's tone. "You almost sound embarrassed to admit that."

James just gave her a look with raised eyebrows.

She chuckled again. "He is loved."

They fell silent for a few moments, and stared out the window. Somewhere during their discussion, James had taken hold of her hand. She didn't mind the contact; instead, she marveled at how small hers felt in his.

"Now that you know one secret: do you want to know another?" he asked.

Lily tilted her head and shrugged, but then nodded slowly.

"Well, you remember that first detention?" he asked. Once again, Lily nodded, though she was looking down at the ground. She felt her cheek warm, and hoped he couldn't see her blush. "Well, I want to do it again."

"What, scrub floors and rearrange a bookshelf?" she said wryly.

"Kiss you." He spoke almost before she had finished her sentence.

She lifted her head, her eyes bright and wide. She swallowed again. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah."

"And what makes you think I'd let you?" She forced herself to breathe evenly and not get flustered, no matter that she had thought about him kissing her again.

"Because you're curious."

She scoffed, but drew a shaky breath when he suddenly stepped closer.

"And, deep down, you really do like me."

She just held his gaze with her own. Her mind, however, was far from still. Her heart had sped up, too; the emotional old thing. "Do I really like you?" she asked.

"You admitted earlier that you wanted to get to know me better."

"I found out what I needed to know; you're rather intelligent and a good friend, but still arrogant and devious. And tall, of course." She was glad her ability to respond quickly had not been shattered by the butterflies getting restless in her stomach.

James gave her a grin that she could only define as slightly predatory.

And how it sent shivers down her spine.

"You know that's not all."

She was silent.

"I can also be creative, when I want to be. Which is why I would kiss you in a totally different way."

Lily bit her lip as she thought quickly. Even in the span of this night, she had learned much about him. When she added it to the rest she had learned this year, she had an image of a man that she would not mind knowing. And perhaps, not mind knowing very well. She looked up at him through her lashes.

"Well, then, Potter. The last time you kissed me was more of an accident, wasn't?" asked Lily, allowing a smile to play teasingly on her lips.

"Exactly. I'm not much one for accidents. I kissed you once; you deserve a proper kiss."

She was silent, still looking at him with bright eyes.

"And, for a proper kiss, I would step closer."

He did so.

"Then, I would to put my hand right here where I imagine that it fits perfectly." He gently placed his hand on her cheek.

(To his surprise and delight it did fit perfectly, as if they really were meant to be together. Which, of course, they were; she just didn't know that.)

"I would to place my other arm around you." And he did just as he said, pulling her closer toward him. "When I was sure you weren't going to run away, I would slowly lean down..."

Lily tried hard to ignore the fluttering she felt in her stomach and her heart. (Her Sensible Conscious even mentioned that she still had time to run. It was beaten into oblivion by the other giddy, Romantic Conscious.)

James's voice was gentle, but something else in it was urging her to melt into his embrace. The thumb on her cheek moved slowly back and forth, and Lily yearned to lean into that touch. The arm around her waist fit perfectly and was holding her snugly against the strong figure to whom it belonged.

James leaned down further and their noses brushed, sending a wonderful chill up and down her spines to reach the ends of her hair and the tips of her toes. Lily forgot everything and placing a hand on his chest, leaned into James's gentle touch.

"And when I was finally close enough, I would simply…" His voice was husky and low, whispering.

Their eyelids fluttered shut as their lips touched...

Little did they know, that just down the hall, another pair—a very unlikely pair—were sharing a much more fond and adamant embrace. One pair of hands was clutching tight to the back of long, black robes, while the other pair of thin fingers were woven into long, brown hair.


	13. Betrayal

**Chapter Thirteen - Betrayal**

The kiss between James and Lily remained gentle, and thus meant so much more to both of them. Nevertheless, Lily leaned into James's embrace and allowed her hands to entwine their fingers in his unkempt black hair. He held her close, with both arms her waist, nearly picking her entirely off the floor.

But finally, after what was actually only a few moments, the kiss ended. Before opening her eyes, Lily rested her chin against James's, and breathed.

Her heart was still racing, but she had never felt so calm.

She felt him chuckle, and she opened her eyes. The hazel eyes that met hers were so stunning and emotional that Lily had never been so delightfully caught off guard. She smiled up at James, enjoying the feeling of his embrace.

"And that is what I would do different," he whispered, a chuckle toning his voice. She laughed, and squeezed her arms tighter around his neck. He pressed his lips to her hair, and tightened his own hold.

However, as he looked over her shoulder, he froze.

"Lily," he whispered with a smile, "two other people—who are definitely out after curfew—are sharing our idea."

"What?" Lily wanted to know. James gestured behind her and she turned in his embrace. She saw the couple further down the corridor.

They were leaning against the wall, and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Lily looked up and James and smiled. When she looked back to the couple, she squinted through the darkness. Their identities hit her like a book being dropped on a desk from a considerable height.

"James, do you know who they are?" she asked, cautiously.

"Well, it could be Nikeia and Sirius, but they wouldn't do something so stupid; making-out in the hallways. Not when they know we are out here. And they don't even like each other enough yet to be snogging in the hall. At least, I don't think so. The only other two people I could think of with that type of look…" he said as he shuddered noticeably, "I don't even want to begin to imagine them together."

"Well, who do you think?"

"I would say it's Stacey and Snape, but that just seems too unthinkable. She doesn't seem like the type of person to like greasy, skinny, nose-always-stuck-in-a-Dark-book type of guys. But then again—and I can't see clearly—but from here, he doesn't seem to have pink robes. I _did_ notice that Snivellus's robes weren't pink in the hallways," said James, very reluctant.

"Yes, I noticed that, too. Well, should we go find out," Lily said. She began to walk forward, but he stopped her and pulled her close to him again with a smirk.

"Before our night is possibly totally ruined…" He trailed off as he kissed her again with the same sweetness as the first time in detention.

Lily sighed happily when he pulled away.

James nodded toward the other couple and started to walk forward, his hand holding Lily's tightly.

"Oi! You two!" he called out. The two figures broke apart abruptly and seemed to turn toward the loud male voice. "You both belong in your dormitories! Get out here, now!" To his and Lily's surprise, they stepped out.

It _was _Stacey and Snape.

"Stacey?" Lily said, shocked despite knowing beforehand that it was the newest member to the Hogwarts society. "What are you doing?"

Stacey looked down at their clasped hands and then up to the sharp face of Severus. "Kissing the man I love," she said matter-of-factly.

"Love_?" _Lily said. "How can you be in love? You've just gotten to the school."

"Not everyone is like you; not everyone needs six years to fall in love." Stacey gave Lily a pitying look. "My attention for James was only to get you jealous. Well, that and to get the attention away from me. I must admit it worked well. You can take that however you want." She paused, and Lily's brow furrowed. "But, anyway, it doesn't take _me _long to know what I what… and who I want."

"And you want Snape," James said in disbelief.

"Yes."

The one-word answer caused James to wince slightly.

"You were right." Stacey looked to Lily as she spoke.

"About what?" asked Lily, holding back a scowl.

"About the library. It _is_ a great place." Stacey looked over to Snape and smiled.

He returned it with a smile that sent shivers down Lily's spine. Really, it was more of a smirk than a smile, and she assumed that it was a smirk that only certain people could love. Then she thought about what that smile could mean, and if it signified love, how hard it must've been to keep that love a secret, regardless of how long they had been together. She then wondered just how everyone would react to a Gryffindor and a Slytherin being in love.

"Though, Severus has taught me some things. How to understand others. He's even told me of something great. We became friends, and realized that we had something more. Isn't that they way it happens to most people?" asked Stacey. Her eyes held a strange look. It was hard, and it seemed to dare James and Lily to go and contradict them. "Two people get over their differences and become friends, and gradually they grow into a... an intimate relationship." She looked over into Severus's face and he smirked again and squeezed her hand.

James and Lily exchanged a glance, both rather surprised at Stacey's genuine sounding "confession". It surprised them even more that Stacey's last statement applied perfectly to Lily and James's relationship.

"I don't mind too much the fact that you are in love. It's with _whom _you're in love. Have you not watched him?" asked Lily, still astonished.

"He always has his nose in a book about the Dark Arts," said James, making clear Lily's words. "He's a Slytherin; you're a Gryffindor! You _shouldn't_ like him! You shouldn't like what he believes in, what he stands for."

Snape was glaring at James harshly.

"What he believes in is now what I believe in." Stacey raised her chin and her eyes glinted with the same hardness and daring. Except now, there was something else. Something neither Lily nor James could name. "You're so biased, James Potter. You can't see anything outside of your own stupid ideas! I don't care what silly house he's in! There more important things! Things like what he believes in; it's a great power. A great body that can help me." The American's eyes were hard and cold, and her jaw was set in a firm line.

Lily and James stood there, their mouths open slightly. Was she, Stacey—a Gryffindor—actually implying that she had found satisfaction in the Dark side? That she had taken _his_ awful beliefs and made them her own?

Finally James found his voice. "You can't mean that you're a follower of that silly Voldemort, Stacey? You can't be-" He was cut off by Severus.

"How dare you speak his name? You are not worthy of that honor!" said Snape with venom. Then, two wands were pulled out and they weren't James's and Lily's. Lily and James flinched slightly, but otherwise didn't move. They were smart enough to know that two Slytherins—well, in essence anyway—wouldn't be afraid to do something.

Snape and Stacey advanced slowly. Snape flicked his wand and James's head was forced to the side, an ugly cut visible on his cheek. He uttered no sound as Lily gasped and turned back to the two Death Eaters, as the followers of Voldemort were called. Snape had his wand pointing to James, and Stacey's at Lily.

"Stacey, why are you doing this?" asked Lily again.

"You have no idea what it is like to try and live up to a powerful family's expectations. I have political leaders on my family tapestry, Muggle and wizard alike. I don't want to feel like I've let my family down. I don't want to be left behind to watch as they grow fat and powerful. Severus has told me of the great things that the followers of the Dark Lord have accomplished. I want a bit of that greatness; I _need _a bit of that greatness. And, well, we always need some more inter-house unity, don't we?" she added with a laugh. Snape, too, chuckled, and Lily could hear the harshness that usually tainted his laughter. Snape flicked his wand and another cut appeared on James's cheek.

"Stacey!" said James in a forceful voice that seemed to echo off the stone walls, even though it was low, just above a whisper. "By becoming a Death Eater and following that Voldemort, you aren't going to become any greater! You'll just be put under the rule of a person who doesn't care about anything, except the hatred inside himself!"

"Just like you, Potter," Snape snarled and once again flicked his wand. This time, James doubled over, clutching his stomach. It was as if he had just been punched in the stomach, except by something that wasn't there.

Lily placed a hand on his shoulder and one on his back, but quickly took them away when they felt like they were burning. She looked over to Stacey, who had a smirk not different from that of Snape's. Her wand was pointing at Lily, and the latter had a good idea of who had just burned her hands.

"James is right!" whispered Lily, clenching her fists. Her voice, too, seemed to echo around with the force of James's voice. Snape's words had hurt, especially since Lily figured that Snape was insinuating that Dumbledore was the leader James and Lily were following. Which was perfectly true. "Dumbledore is a good man. He's better than your Voldemort will ever be! The mark of the Death Eaters and your 'Dark Lord' only ensures death. Unless you follow Voldemort's exact orders, you'll never achieve greatness; you'll die, suffer; he will kill you! It's been proven over and over in the happenings of these last few years! Why can't you see it?"

"You're wrong!" cried Stacey, just loud enough to get her emotions across, and not loud enough to draw any more unwanted attention. "With a mark I am promised an equal amount of prominence as my grandfather! With it, I am promised prominence! The Dark Lord promises greatness, something Gryffindor can't give!"

"That is not true!" countered James, straightening, but still clutching an arm to his stomach. "Gryffindor has graduated many great witches and wizards!"

"We certainly aren't looking at examples of that statement," said Snape in that low voice of his.

James moved forward, but when the two wands flicked toward him, he stopped. Then, seemingly just to show he could, Snape mimicked his previous spell and James doubled over again, gasping for air. Slowly, James spoke: "Gryffindor is a House of power. We're not greedy or self-centered like Slytherins! I would ask you to come back, Stacey, because I don't wish upon you the terrible things you are about to do, but I have a feeling that if you cross back, you won't be very much safer from Voldemort."

"I told you that you don't have the honor to speak his name!" shouted Snape. Once again, he moved his wand, this time from left to right in one fluid movement, and James was forced against the wall, as if pushed by a giant invisible hand. As his head smacked the hard stone, he closed his eyes and steadied himself.

"I know you did. But I don't listen all too well to what some people tell me. You, of all people, should know that, Snivellus," stated James, in a voice that was a bit sarcastic.

Snape snarled, but didn't move his wand. Lily dearly wished she could reach into her pocket and pull out her own wand and get back at her two yearmates for everything they had just done to James. But, she knew if she dared the movement; there would not be a good outcome. She looked away from Stacey and Snape to James. He was leaning against the wall, one hand massaging his shoulder and the other arm lying across his waist.

"Well, I've had enough fun for this night," Snape snickered, and then whispered something. Suddenly, the entire hallway was covered in darkness, and a few moments later, Lily felt someone ram hard into her shoulder. She lost her balance and fell backward.

After the shock of hitting the hard floor had faded enough, Lily shook her head clear and stood up. She tried to peer through the darkness, but to no avail.

"James?" she called softly.

"I'm here, against the wall, Lils."

Lily turned and held out her hands. She walked forward and when her hands touched stone, she called softly to James again. She jumped when she heard his voice right in front of her. She leaned forward gradually and located James's face when their noses bumped and kissed his cheek gently. He stood up slowly and wrapped his arms around Lily, carefully placing the left side of his face to her hair, as he could feel blood dripping down the other side. Not leaving the embrace, Lily pulled out her wand, finally, and uttered "_Lumos._" Nothing happened. Whatever spell Snape used was a good one, and they were forced to stand in each other's arms until the spell wore away.

In time, the hall was once again filled with bluish light of the moon, and Lily and James separated.

Lily stroked his injured cheek. "That looks like it hurts," she said.

James exhaled sharply in a way that said 'thanks for stating the obvious.' "I'll have Madam Pomfrey look at it. Unless, can you do that healing spell?" he asked. Lily nodded and pulled out her wand. She muttered a spell and the blood and cuts were wiped away and began healing. Soon, they were nothing more then a red spot on his cheek. When she put away her wand, a tear fell.

"Oh, James!" she cried into his robes. "What just happened? And why?"

James shook his head, with no answer, and cuddled Lily as she sobbed softly.

"Why didn't you fight back? You would have been able to fight them…" Lily asked amid her tears.

"Because a wise girl once told me not to fight in the hallways with Slytherins," he said, smiling grimly.

Lily sniffled, exhaling her laughter softly.

"But…" he started, "We should do something _now_," he added, with no small amount of quiet venom. Lily brought her tear-stained face up to look in his eyes.

"Like what? What can we do?"

"We can go to Dumbledore! He'll be able to do something! He could get them expelled! She couldn't have fallen in love in a week. I can't believe it! We should go to Dumbledore!"

"Oh, James, think! We'll get in trouble for being out after curfew. Even if we are supposed to be patrolling. And you know Dumbledore! He won't be able to say anything against students of his. You know that. He sees the best in everyone. And even if he did believe us, James, what Ministry official in their right mind would believe our words? The words of two teenagers; one of them who's a rather notorious troublemaker? And, if there is a spell or potion affecting her, something might happen if we try to remove it. You've heard of those situations, James. The person tries to say something… and then they can't. And they won't say anything ever again." Lily's hands were firmly gripping James's shoulders. His eyes weren't focused on hers; rather, they were looking off to the side.

"We can at least try to detect something. We'll use a non-detectable spell; she won't know," stated James. He turned his gaze to Lily's and it surprised her at how powerful it was. She was even more surprised at the soft hatred she found. But, slowly, she nodded.

"Fine. But… what if there is no enchantment? What then?" she asked.

James was silent and thoughtful for a moment. "Then there's nothing we can do. We warned her that she has no second chances. But, if she doesn't care about us, maybe she'll care about disgracing her family. She'll watch what she does while under the eye of Dumbledore."

The finality of his words hit Lily, but she knew they were true.

Lily sniffled once, and then squeezed her eyes shut, trying to come to terms with everything that had happened. "No one will believe the words of two students, even if we are the Heads of our year. James, we're both tired. Let's just go and sleep and try to put this out of our minds. Please…"

"You're right, like usual. I'm sorry. I just… can't watch that go on. I don't know if I will ever forgive that… snake."

"Shh…James, shh," urged Lily, putting a finger to his lips… the lips that she had kissed not too long ago. She let her fingers gently brush his lips, before her arms wrapped around his neck in a tight embrace. James responded by fiercely wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close to him.

James kicked off his shoes into a corner of the Head's common room, and he removed his black robe. He groaned as he flopped face-down onto the couch, careful to avoid putting pressure on his hurting shoulder. Then he groaned again, this time a much more strained type of groan. When Lily asked what was wrong, he turned as much as he could and looked at her. "I have a stupid Potions essay to write!" He tried to smother himself with a cushion half-heartedly.

"Well, I guess I can be nice and let you borrow my notes," said Lily tiredly, neatly unlacing her shoes and setting them under the desk.

James removed the pillow from his head quickly and sat up. He winced from sitting up too fast and the effect it had on his probably bruised torso. "Did I just hear correctly? The One-and-Only Lily Evans, Head Girl Lily Evans, 'do your own homework' _Lily Evans_, is allowing me, James Potter, procrastinating, prank-pulling, 'go-out-with-me-Evans' _James Potter_, to use _her_ notes to do _my_ work?"

Lily titled her head at him and raised her eyebrows. "Well, if you don't want the notes, then I guess I-"

"NO!" cried James, jumping out of the chair and stumbling over to Lily. He placed his hands on her knees and looked up into her eyes. He loved that green. "I do want the notes! Thanks very much, dearest Lily," he whispered.

Lily looked back down at him, and smiled. _Those eyes_... she thought as she looked into the hazel irises. She then remembered how he had turned into a stag, and she looked away.

"I can't believe everything that has happened tonight!" she said, bowing her head to rest atop James's. He gently squeezed her knees, and she jumped slightly.

"Oh, is Lily ticklish?" he asked, an evil glint in his eyes. Lily took his hands away from her knees—which _were_ ticklish spots for her—and held them in her own.

"James, it's late. Let's just go to sleep." Her emerald eyes pleaded with him, and James couldn't refuse. He stood up and walked over to the couch, grabbing a blanket from the back of an armchair as he went.

"Well, I am too t-t-t-tired to go anywhere else but right here!" With that, he flopped onto the couch again. Lily shook her head and smiled. She, too, stood up, removed her robe and necktie, and looked at James.

Then, did something that she would never have imagined she would ever do. She conjured a quilt, wrapped it around herself and lay down next to James.

"What's this?" he said, teasingly, with a hint of the old Potter thrown in.

"I don't feel like moving anywhere tonight either."

James chuckled, and he kissed her ear softly. She squirmed, and he chuckled again, putting one arm over her slight body.

They slept soundly that night, even though the memory of what the two traitors had said was still fresh in their minds. The betrayal of someone is always hard to bear, but one whom you had trusted—thought a friend—is even worse.

But, they were both comfortable, and had a weekend ahead of them to sort it out. What more mattered?


	14. A Few Discussions

**Chapter Fourteen - A Few Discussions**

_The face of a young boy occupied James's dreams that night. In so many ways it looked just like him—and yet, the eyes were different. They weren't James's. They were green. A vivid, live, emerald green. But something irked James, and it was the scar on the boy's forehead. It was in the shape of a lightening bolt, and was just barely hidden underneath the tumbled raven hair. James watched as the face smiled, frowned, reacted to pain and reacted to love. The lips curled back in an angry shout, and the corners turned up in a laugh. The eyes so unlike James's own were filled with anger and hate, then love and compassion, gratitude and thanks, disgust and tears._

_Then suddenly, a loud, cackling laugh split the air within his dream, and with a flash of green…_

…James awoke. He sat up on the couch in the cool blue light of early morning and took a few deep breaths. He closed his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to get rid of the last moments of the dream. "Nightmare" would probably describe it better.

A sound from beside him made James look down; Lily had also jolted awake. When she saw him, she looked surprised and slightly confused to find that they had slept on the couch side-by-side. In truth, the idea startled him also. However, she pushed away her confusion and shock to ask, a bit groggily, "James? What was it?"

"Nothing, just a dream."

"Are you sure?"

"No. But I'll be fine." It _hadn't_ felt like a dream. The cackle had cut into him, and he felt like the green light had blinded him.

"James?" Lily sat up on the couch, onto which they both somehow fit, and put her hand on James's back. James turned his head to look at Lily, but he couldn't look long into her eyes.

"It just felt so real, that's all." James shook his head again, but felt soothed by the gentle circles Lily's hand was making on his back. "I saw the face of some kid. He looked like me, but he had different eyes."

"Different eyes?" asked Lily, gently.

James looked at Lily, knowing that she could see his confusion. "They were green."

Lily's eyes widened. "Green?" she asked, tentatively.

He nodded, looking into her emerald irises long enough for her to understand what he thought.

She rolled her shoulders uncomfortably. "Well, if you think they were green like mine, as if this boy was our… um…" She stumbled a bit, before finishing with: "I'm sure your imagination was just acting up, what with what happened last night… between us..."

She glanced at him, but only for an instant. "You know, your mind was probably just taking bits and pieces of what had actually happened to you and mixing them with your own wants…"

"I know what you meant. Don't make yourself uncomfortable by trying to explain it," James said, smirking. "After all, the idea of you and me having a kid is-"

"I wasn't uncomfortable," she spurted.

James snorted softly. She was squeezing her hands together, and a blush had risen on her cheeks.

"Of course you weren't."

"Ridiculous," Lily said, finally finishing James's sentence. "The idea of us having a child together is ridiculous, so it doesn't affect me. Therefore I wasn't uncomfortable."

"Oh, Evans," James sighed, hoping she caught his teasing tone. "You definitely enjoyed that kiss, and we did sleep together after all."

With this, her eyes widened to their fullest, and she immediately got off the couch. She readjusted the blanket in which she had slept, and bit her lip.

James merely continued to smirk.

"Yes, well…" she stammered.

He stood and stepped toward her. His smirk changed to a true smile, and he touched her cheek. "Yes, well, I hope you'll allow me to kiss you again."

"James…" she said, the blush deepening. She glanced up at him, and he held her gaze.

He leaned down, and gently kissed placed his lips on hers. It was as sweet a kiss as their first, and lasted just a bit longer.

She smiled almost giddily up at him when they separated, and James loved the look.

However, in the space a second, her expression changed and her knees buckled. He caught her and pulled her back up.

"I'm sorry, I guess I was supposed to catch you first, then kiss you, if you want to make a tradition of it."

"No, James…" she whispered. "We… Stacey. She betrayed us last night…"

James's own expression melted into horror, and he pulled Lily down onto the couch.

They were silent, both caught in their own thoughts of their classmate who had not only fallen in love with a member of their rival house, but had expressed a deep desire to follow Voldemort.

James was the first to recover. He breathed deep, then said, "Well. She did what she did. There might still be time for her to change." He glanced out of the window. "There's also time for us to catch a bit more sleep."

Lily seemed confused at his sudden shift in thought, and didn't show much other emotion as he stretched out again on the couch, pulling the blanket over his shoulder.

"Hey—this couch is really wide. I mean, it was wide before, but now it's almost as wide as a bed."

Lily shook her head to clear her confusion, and looked down. "I… I guess I had noticed that."

"You didn't place an enlargement charm on it, did you?"

Lily shook her head.

James laughed. "Must've been those house elves. Blimey, they're good."

Lily chuckled, and stood again. "I think I'll go to my room and sleep a bit more, um…"

She started to turn away, but James reached out an arm. "Come on. There's room on the couch. Plus, I've had a nightmare. Don't you care?"

He attempted to put on his more pathetic expression possible, and by Lily's raised eyebrow and twitching lips, he succeeded.

"No, I _don't_ care," she said.

James pouted.

"Potter, you'll be fine. You don't need me to fall back asleep."

"You don't really want to leave this couch, and go lay down on your cold bed, do you?" James' eyes abandoned the "pathetic" card, and played the "puppy-dog eyes" card.

"Yes, actually, I do. It was odd enough to wake up next to you; to fall back to sleep next to you again would be… It would be a conscious decision; last night I was a bit confused and distraught. I thought nothing of sleeping beside you."

"Will you stop making excuses?" moaned James. "Just lie down. It's Saturday. Stop thinking."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he closed his own. He heard her sigh.

"And, if you really do want to go, will you at least rub my back like you were doing? It felt really nice."

She scoffed softly, but he also heard her chuckle. He felt her hand touch his back, and it started making lazy circles again.

"You are such a child sometimes."

He declined further comment.

He smirked to himself when he felt her lay down again, even while continuing to run his back. He opened his eyes to look at her and winked once. She lightly flicked the back of his head, before closing her eyes. He mimicked her, enjoying the warmth that was flooding his heart.

As James drifted, he wondered about the dream. Could it have just been a figment of his imagination—overactive thoughts making up the face of child that would have him and Lily as his parents—or was there the possibility that it was actually the future? He didn't think there were any Seers in his family, and he didn't think getting the Sight happened on a…

He fell asleep.

James and Lily walked into the Great Hall, holding hands. Whispers started spreading, and there were even a few sniffles. As the two Head students made their way to their table, the other students continued to talk over their breakfast.

The two Heads sat down next to their usual crowd, all of who smiled greetings.

Sirius raised his eyebrows suggestively, and James punched him from across the table. Sirius rubbed it briskly and looked over to Nikeia, who made a face as if saying "Oh, you poor thing!"

As Lily spooned some porridge into her bowl, she glanced up and froze. There, walking toward her was Stacey. Lily forced a smile and added another spoonful. James, who had also noticed the girl, followed Lily's lead. However, Lily noticed that his mouth was set in a taut line. Lily herself struggled to keep her own face blank from her rather hostile feelings.

Stacey sat down next to them, smiling and greeting the others. Lily found her nonchalance rather enviable, considering.

Later on, Dumbledore stood and made an announcement about Quidditch. Tryouts would be held whenever the captains felt necessary for their teams, and if anyone second year and above wanted to try out, they were to report to their Head of House.

"Oh, that means I have to make up a list of the open positions," muttered James, as he layered strawberry jam on his toast. Unfortunately, everyone heard him.

"_You're_ captain?" asked Sirius, slamming his palms down on the table.

"Yeah," said James, somewhat hesitantly. He didn't like the look in Sirius's eyes. The latter just stared for a bit.

"That rat!" he exclaimed, slamming the table again. Peter sat up straight and glared at Padfoot.

"No, not you." Sirius batted a hand at the short young man. Peter sighed in relief and went back to his cereal.

Sirius ignored the stares he got from those that didn't know the Marauder's secret… which was just about everyone near him.

"What rat?" asked James, confused.

"Spinnet. He told me he got captain."

"What?" cried James. He spun in his seat and located Joshua Spinnet. "Oi! Spinnet!"

The Chaser leaned back into the aisle and turned toward James' voice. "What?" he called.

"How many people have you told that you got captain this year?"

"Just Sirius. I was joking around; I figured he would be smart enough to figure out that I was just having a laugh. Besides, what better choice for captain is there?" stated Joshua, shrugging.

James laughed, "Flattery gets you nowhere!" Joshua Spinnet grinned and shrugged.

James turned back to Sirius and raised an eyebrow.

"You couldn't tell that Josh was just goofing off? He _is_ only a sixth year; I do have precedent, being older."

"Well… He's…" Sirius stuttered. "He's usually a very truthful bloke!" The last bit was shouted, meant for Spinnet to overhear. A laugh told the Marauders and company that it was heard. Sirius turned back to James and shrugged.

"Sirius, you _should_ have been smart enough to figure out that James _would_ be Captain," stated Remus, shaking his head. "It's just makes sense. Though you don't, so maybe that has something to do about it."

"Oh ha ha. Funny, mate," Sirius stated, being sarcastic. "Congratulations, then, Prongs. You deserve it."

"Thanks Padfoot," smiled James.

Sirius suddenly slammed his hands on the table. "Hey! You never told us that you got it… I've been at your house all summer, thanks to my snake pit of a family, and you never even mentioned getting the letter. That's not like you."

"Well," James said, stammering slightly. "You didn't ask and I figured it would've been a waste of breath."

Remus, however, seemed to know just what James had been thinking. "Translation, Sirius: he didn't want to brag about it. He is trying to change for a certain girl, after all."

Lily cleared her throat, but didn't look up from her porridge. James just glared daggers at Remus, who snickered. The others at the table chuckled.

James let the topic drop, then noticed the scowl on Sam's face. "Oi, Sam, what's wrong?"

"Oh, he's just angry because he can't try out for the team," said Monica, looking teasingly at Samuel, who glared at his fellow classmate. James chuckled.

"Well, next year you can try out."

Samuel's stopped scowling and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Could I watch them, though? The tryouts?" His eyes took on a look of a sad puppy. James nodded, not fazed by the exact expression that he also had employed only this morning.

Of course, the older girls all sighed.

"We better watch what Samuel asks for; those eyes are torture!" said Josey, with a smile. Sam sat up a bit straighter and smirked, apparently pleased with himself.

"I try," he said matter-of-factly and in return, Monica poked him. Everyone chuckled, even Stacey.

After breakfast, they removed themselves to the lakeside. Most of them, anyway. Stacey had "somewhere else to be". Samuel and Monica, too, left to go and do homework in the Library. Lily smiled satisfyingly when she heard of their destination.

They arrayed themselves along the length of the pier that James recreated, and he and Lily somehow found themselves the center of attention. Really, neither of them was surprised.

"All right," started Remus, "What happened between you and Stacey? You smiled forced smiles and talked forced words. What is going on?" Remus glanced down and James and Lily's entwined fingers and quirked and eyebrow. "And what happened last night between you two?"

James and Lily only found it necessary to answer the first question at the moment.

"Well, we were on patrol last night," started James, "and came across a couple snogging in the hallway. It was Stacey and Snape."

Everyone gaped and the silence was quite astonishing. It was broken by one loud splash. Sirius had somehow managed to fall into the lake, and bring Nikeia and Peter along with him. As soon as they surfaced, Nikeia punched Sirius's shoulder, the same one that James punched earlier.

"Sirius, did you _have_ to grab onto my arm?"

"I was trying to keep myself from falling," he explained, flicking his hair off his face.

"Fat lot of good that did you," she muttered.

"Forget about what I did!" sputtered Sirius, watching Josey and Remus give Nikeia a hand out of the lake. "Stacey and Snivellus were snogging?"

Peter was pulled out next, and he 'accidentally' kicked Sirius's other shoulder.

"Yeah. Now shut up, so I can finish talking!" said James.

"Okay," said Sirius meekly. He propped his arms up on the pier, but stayed in the water.

"Well, Stacey said she was in love and that Snape had showed her 'a path to greatness'. She didn't care that he believed in an evil more evil than anything else, because she now believes it. She seemed stuck to the idea that Voldemort can give her greatness. Sooner or later, wands came out, and they weren't ours. They both stated some things about our side, but all-in-all Stacey is no longer on the side of good. I would say she'll be a Death Eater sometime soon."

"Stacey? Following You-Know-Who? I don't believe it!" declared Josephine. Remus nodded. "Why would she want to be a Death Eater?" she asked.

"She said that because her family is so great she _needed _greatness; the greatness that Slytherin house and Voldemort have to give," offered Lily, to the gaze of absolutely flabbergasted faces. Remus snorted.

"Gryffindor is just as powerful, those darned..." His voice trailed off for lack of an evocative enough word.

"That was what we told them but they didn't believe us, or if they did, they didn't show it," declared James. Remus again snorted.

"I still can't believe that Stacey Wilson would be a Death Eater, though that might actually be more believable then falling in love with _Snape_!" Josey grimaced. "Urgh!"

"And the weirdest thing about it… they seemed to actually be in love," Lily uttered.

"I think I did notice that his robes weren't pink anymore," admitted Nikeia.

Lily nodded and Nikeia grimaced. A sound of disgust accompanied her expression.

Sirius asked: "Why didn't you do something? Go to Dumbledore? He would've been able to do something!"

"Yeah, he would've!" admitted James fiercely. "He would've given us that look and stated that he couldn't do anything without enough proof. That Snape and Stacey are good students. Besides, as Lily reminded me: what Ministry official is going to believe two teenagers? Especially two teenagers under Dumbledore's eye. They respect him, but even they have their doubts. Don't you think that I had already thought about that, Padfoot?" asked James. Sirius lowered his eyes and nodded, understanding.

Then, he asked about what happened between James and Lily. Sometimes James loved that Sirius remembered stuff. Stuff like tricky spells, or an extra handful of dumgbombs or firecrackers. At other times, he wished Sirius would have short-term memory loss. He looked to Lily, who raised her eyebrow and shrugged.

"We discovered that couch in our common room was charmed," said James. Lily held back a snort of laughter.

They received very blank looks.

"We discovered it only this morning when we woke up."

Deviousness came over her, and Lily added, "Indeed, it made it quite comfortable for… cuddling."

James's lips twitched.

Sirius shook his head in confusion. "Cuddling? On the same couch? In the morning?"

"I think there's something you're not telling us," opined Remus, looking hard at his two friends.

They looked at each other, and bit their lips. James spoke first, "What else could there be?"

"We don't know," said Frank. "That's why we're asking."

"Lily, do you think I could be forgetting to mention the bit where I kissed you?" James was looking at Lily with such an expression that she had a tough time of keeping her smile at bay.

"Yes, Potter, that might just be the part that they're missing."

"But I don't see any reason to explain."

Everyone still gaped at them.

Remus looked at Lily. "Prongs is being an idiot. Lily, will you please explain?"

She chuckled, and took pity on them. "We were patrolling, and just started talking. James mentioned a secret that he had and well…"

"That secret was that I wanted to kiss her again." A rare blush faintly tinted James's face. "So I did."

Everyone was just looking at them, silently, as if asking for more.

"There's not much else; we saw Snape and Stacey after that, came back to our common room after _that_ and slept together on the couch," finished Lily, allowing James to take her hand in his.

"Slept together?" asked Sirius, finally pulling himself from the water.

The two people under investigation nodded solemnly.

"_Slept_ together?" Sirius asked, putting special emphasis on the first word.

Lily again took pity. "Yes. We were so tired and on edge that we didn't want to go any father than the couch in the common room."

"So," Nikeia started slowly. "You two really just slept? Like _snoring_ slept?"

"Yes, Nikeia. We were tired and all we could think of to do was to sleep," said Lily.

"Oh," uttered Sirius and shook his head free of some water, and Lily was forcibly reminded of his illegal Animagus form. He looked a great deal like a dog when he did that, so much that Lily just had to smile. "Well, that's a load off of my mind. I don't know even know why I would have thought you had done anything else. Did I think of anything else?" he asked, as if other people had access to his mind.

"Yeah, you did," accused Nikeia.

"You thought of it, too!" he shot back.

She raised her eyebrow. The black-haired young man looked sideways at the water. Then, he glanced back to Nikeia, as if telling her something. She understood. She probably understood a bit too well. So, before Sirius could push her in, she smirked and…

The next thing Sirius knew was that the water was even more refreshing and cool the second time one fell in.


	15. Another Detention

**Chapter Fifteen - Another Detention**

At the end of the Gryffindors' Transfiguration lesson on Monday, McGonagall addressed two members of her class.

"Potter and Evans, please stay behind for a bit. I need to arrange your last detentions."

Lily and James looked at each other confused, and then remembered. They had only served four of their detentions; cleaning McGonagall's office and three classrooms: Transfiguration, Potions and Charms. Potter and Evans groaned softly but hung back.

"Well, because of the terrible little first years, you have yet to serve your last detentions," started McGonagall, arranging a stack of essays that had just been turned in. "And I say they are terrible meaning that they have been taking your detention slots."

"Thanks, mates," muttered James, softly.

McGonagall glared at him. "Meet me tonight here, and I will bring you to your task. Good day." McGonagall sat down and started looking over the essays with a barely audible sigh. James and Lily turned around dejectedly and left the class room.

James and Lily met outside the Transfiguration classroom later that night, and waited a few minutes for their Deputy Headmistress. She walked right past them, gesturing for them to follow, and follow they did. They walked up a few flights of stairs and down a corridor, until they stopped outside Filch's office. He was just walking out of it as the trio came to the doorway.

With a nasty glance toward James, who he secretly thought was a _large_ one-quarter of the bane of his existence as Caretaker, Filch spoke in his snarling voice.

"Good evening, Professor." Filch raised a corner of his lip in disgust at James, who met his gaze unfalteringly. "I would ask you once again, is there anyway that they could serve their detention in some other room? I don't like the idea of _that_ scoundrel in _my_ office."

"Mr. Filch," spoke McGonagall in her commanding voice. "I don't think Potter will do anything untoward to your precious room. And Miss Evans will be with him so you shouldn't have to worry. Potter and Miss Evans have been assigned to their task, and they will stick to it. They _are_ our top students. And it's not as if your room is spotlessly clean anyway." McGonagall looked past Filch into his room, and then back to the caretaker with a hard look on her face.

Filch's face contorted slightly, but with a loud, angry sigh, he moved out of the doorway, and started to stalk through the hallways. Before McGonagall stepped into his room, the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, walked out, giving a cat-eyed glare to James. How he wished he could just...

Filch's office was quite disheveled and James groaned inwardly at the idea of scrubbing everything out. But, their detention was of a different nature.

"Now, Mr. Filch has notes of every wrongdoing that has ever gone on in Hogwarts. The records are quite extensive." Here she threw a meaningful glance to James, as if meaning that he was the reason for the magnitude, and he definitely was part of the problem. "The cards are also getting worn, and we—the staff and I—would like you to rewrite any cards which are unreadable or close to it, and reorganize the files. Start with these files first-" She pointed to a few boxes, all two levels high, full of yellowing cards- "and then tomorrow you can do some more. And, if you are lucky, James, maybe you and your friends can steal a few ideas and get your names on a few more cards, hmm?"

From a drawer near Filch's desk, McGonagall pulled a bottle of ink, a quill, and a great amount of cards and set them on a desk in the middle of the office. Then she nodded and walked of the room.

James looked to Lily and smiled weakly. "Well, since you have the better handwriting, how about you rewrite the cards while I read them off to you, and then we can switch if your hand gets tired. Is that alright?" he asked, and in response, Lily sat down and took up the quill. "Brilliant. Okay, first card..." James pulled out a card and read off the contents to Lily. "'_Hanson, Timothy; two detentions and five points deducted; use of forged note to get a book from the restricted section.'_ Well that was stupid, why he would even think of doing that? Just sneak into the library after dark. Duh!" He looked to Lily who raised an eyebrow. James continued. "'_Malfoy, Lucius_,' oh, I remember him! Evil Slytherin, two, maybe three years above us, right?" he asked Lily, who nodded, raising three fingers.

"He had a tendency to call me... well... you know."

"Ah." James looked back down at the card and gave a shout of laughter. "Listen to this: 'O_ne detention; use of foul language in the classroom._'"

Lily smiled. "Wonder what he said?" she asked sarcastically. James chuckled.

He looked around at the tall filing cabinets full of the misdeeds of the wrongdoers, and "Hmm"-ed.

"What is it?" asked Lily.

"I wonder… do these go all the way back to the founders? I mean… wouldn't that be rather interesting? To see what the troublemakers from the beginning did? What the pranks were like? How the punishments have changed?" He moved toward the cabinets, but Lily called out, "Potter!"

"What?" he asked, whining slightly.

"Focus. Next card, please," Lily said.

James saw that she was trying not to smile. He exhaled softly in laughter, and went back to the cards.

So the list went on, naming the names of the offenders—sometimes victims—and the punishment they received for the "crime". James and Lily enjoyed their detention; they couldn't believe some of the things past students had done. As the reached the start of the second level of the first box, they came to a few names that made James smile.

"'_Potter, James and Black, Sirius: two detentions and twenty points; rude impersonation of a teacher (Professor Slughorn)'_." James laughed hard remembering when they had done that. It was right in front of Slughorn, though they didn't know that until they heard their names shouted.

Lily, too, chuckled as she remembered it. Naturally, that was not the only card for the Marauders. The second level, it seemed, was devoted solely to these four boys. Over the past seven years, they had been accused, and nearly always rightly, of numerous things. From throwing crocodile hearts to turning a boy into an elephant to starting fireworks in the library, their crimes ranged far and wide. However, there were also many incidents that had gone unpunished when no one could prove it was the Marauders.

After a particularly funny card—'_Potter, James; Lupin, Remus; Black, Sirius; Pettigrew, Peter; two weeks of detentions, fifty points; discoloration of professors' attire and hair'_—they needed a few minutes to calm down after their fit of laughter. They had vivid pictures of McGonagall in bright orange robes, Flitwick in sunshine-yellow and Slughorn in a red polka-dot pair of trousers and a pin-striped pink and orange shirt floating around their heads. When they had finally caught their breath, James reminded Lily of the incident of a few days ago. Even now there were still Slytherins walking around in pink robes and red hair. They were sniggered at and everyone smiled jovially when they remembered the enchantment.

After the laughter once again subsided, James spoke, tears in his eyes. "You know, Lily, one day, you're gonna have your name in here, too; 'Potter, James and Evans, Lily; six detentions and fifty points; assault of a student (Snape, Severus) in the corridor, under teacher's eye.'" He chuckled, but stopped at Lily's face.

"I still can't believe I did that!" cried Lily, slapping her forehead gently. "It was so stupid! I am so ashamed of myself!"

"Oh, but Lily, no one cared!" James spoke forcefully. "Watching and hearing about Snape getting what was coming to him was enough to make up for it. It was so funny and amazing that _no one cared_! Lily, I will never forget the look on Snivellus's face when—WHAM—you smacked him. It was... priceless." He smiled goofily. "And think of it this way; now, whoever is so unfortunate to get this job in the future will see your name right next to mine and the other Marauders'!"

"James, I don't mean to offend, but that isn't very comforting," Lily said with a sigh. James's shoulders drooped slightly and he continued to read the offenses that he and his friends had committed.

James then found one a few cards later that caused his brow to furrow. Through his mind ran thoughts of what had happened that day.

"James, can you read me that card please?" asked Lily from the spot she had cleaned on the floor on which to stretch out.

"What? Oh, sorry," James admitted, flustered. "_Group of young men hereinafter known as the Marauders; confiscation of illegally enchanted parchment and attempt to leave school grounds; three detentions each, fifty points." _

"Thank you," muttered Lily, and then she looked up to see James's wondering face. "What's wrong?"

"Well, I was just wondering if they kept that 'illegally enchanted parchment'." He then looked over to a set of filing cabinets sitting behind Filch's desk. He walked over to them and started pulling out drawers and looking through the contents. Ignoring Lily's gasp of indignation, he merely continued to search through the drawers.

"James! What in the world do you think you are doing?" cried Lily. "We have a job to do! Come on! Stop that!" Lily had by now stood up and tried to pull James back. It worked, or so she thought. In fact, James had just spotted the title of one of the other drawers: "Confiscated and Highly Dangerous", written in spidery handwriting.

"Ah ha!" he shouted, closing one drawer and moving to the other. "So that is where it is!"

"Potter!"

James didn't listen, of course. He opened the drawer, and after looking through the contents for only an instant, laughed again.

"This, Lily," he said to her angry, but questioning gaze, "is the 'illegally enchanted parchment'. It isn't, in fact, illegal to enchant the parchment—it's what is on it that is rather dangerous, though also not really illegal… It is the secret—or one of them anyway—to the success of the Marauders!" With a highly dramatized flourish, he threw the parchment onto the table. Lily stared at it.

"If _that_ is highly dangerous, I'm the Queen."

"Oh, but you're the queen of my heart," whispered James, suavely. Lily narrowed her eyes as she raised an eyebrow, even as she fought hard to keep her smile back at James's cheesy statement.

James continued. "But Lily, this, in the hands of someone bad-"

Here, Lily interjected with: "Like you?"

James gave her a short glare, and continued, "_someone else_, someone like... Voldemort, is extremely dangerous!"

"Really? Why?" she asked, still thinking that the staff must've had a few too many drinks from the Three Broomsticks to confiscate a piece of parchment. To her surprise, James smiled dangerously.

"Tap it with your wand and say, "Reveal your secrets."

Lily did as she was told, and then did a double-take between James and the parchment, finally staring wide-eyed at the parchment. For on it, words were forming in a jagged, but neat, hand.

_Mr. Prongs would like to say 'Good Evening' to the beautiful Miss Evans._

Then, after this sentence vanished, another one showed, this time in a neat writing.

_Mr. Moony, too, would like to say 'Good Evening'. He would also like to say that this is an incredibly offensive piece of parchment and that Miss Evans may not enjoy reading it, for it in itself is the object of many-a-loss of points._

Once more, another scrawl showed. It was quite untidy and rather loopy.

_Mr. Padfoot would also like to say 'Good Evening' and agree with Mr. Moony. Stay away, Miss Evans!_

The writing vanished again, and then the first untidy scrawl appeared. In fact... now that she saw it again, she would almost say this it looked quite a bit like-

_Mr. Prongs would like to express his anger towards Mr. Padfoot, and Mr. Moony. They are being quite rude and Mr. Prongs would like to invite Miss Evans into the world of the Marauders._

The parchment went blank. Lily stared wide-eyed once again.

"Prongs! Why, that's you! James, what is this parchment and what did you do to it?" asked Lily in a very fast breath.

"Well, we just enchanted it… _slightly_… to show a few little things." He was evading the function of the parchment, she knew, and she was quite frustrated. She also had to admit she was interested. The sentences that formed on the top were in the handwriting of James, Remus and Sirius. Lily leaned forward and kissed James on the cheek. Then, she spoke in a forced calm voice.

"James, please tell me about his parchment. Please."

James put on a face of mock thought and finally spoke.

"Alright, but-" he took out his wand, unbeknownst to Lily, and placed the tip of it on the parchment, "but _I solemnly swear I am up to no good_." As he spoke this, he leaned very close to Lily, so that she was sorely tempted to kiss him.

Instead of doing that, she said, "Well, when aren't you up to any good?"

James smirked, and nodded his head towards the parchment. She looked down to the parchment and nearly screamed. There, scrawled in the top, were written words in the penmanship of the first "Mr":

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs_

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

_Are proud to present_

_**The Marauder's Map**_

Lily gasped. She looked to James and he smiled mischievously. He then leaned down and opened the parchment. There, scrawled across the page was a map of the first floor of Hogwarts. Lily gasped again. James pulled open another fold of the parchment and another floor of Hogwarts appeared. Lily's eyes were wide and she was thoroughly astonished. Even more amazing were the number of dots splattered over the parchment. Each had a name assigned to them and moved with what seemed to be the same movement of the owner of that name. Currently, most students, for that was what the dots represented, (with the exception of the prefects and a few miscreants) were in their dormitories. James looked on with a smile on his face.

"James... how did you manage this? This is pretty advanced magic!"

"Well, Lils; Sirius, Remus and I are rather smart young men. We also know all of the shortcuts in Hogwarts, including some which lead to the library. And with our stealth, we can get any type of information we want. So, using our brains, our knowledge of the castle, and the help of the library and dear old Madam Pince, not that she really knew what she was doing, we created this map. Originally, it was only for a reminder of passages and short-cuts. But then, as we got more troublesome, we changed it to 'aide for mischief-makers'." He smiled ruefully at Lily, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

For a while, she was speechless. Then she managed to commend James and the other Marauders on their accomplishment. But then she remembered something. With a smile, she relayed her question.

"How did you manage to get caught with this 'illegally enchanted parchment', hmm?"

"Well," started James, seeming a bit flustered with having to remember that occasion, "we, even though Moony was quite against it, snuck out of school one night. Using this passageway here-" he pointed to a spot on the parchment where Lily knew to be a statue of a one-eyed witch; it was a pretty gruesome statue- "we traipsed to the cellar of Honeydukes' and using… uh, another bit of magic, we got out to the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta was quite kind to us; she always did like Sirius and his 'dashing good humor', as she called it. We got our drinks and then, the horror struck.

"Standing right next to us in a heartbeat was Professor McGonagall. She looked at us as if we were...well, I don't know, but it wasn't a good look. She escorted us by our ears—I'm serious; she did! I don't know she managed to get four ears in two hands, but she did. Anyway, she brought us back to the castle and gave us our punishment. Then, she _had_ to notice the odd shape of my pocket." He took a deep breath and frowned. "Well, it wrote some not very nice things to her and we got more punishment. And that, Lily, is the story of the Marauder's Map."

Lily nodded, finding it a plausible story, as sneaking out seemed to be right up James's alley. She glanced once more at the Map and couldn't help herself: she scrutinized it quite closely. She was amazed at the accuracy of all of the corridors and the moving dots. Then, she noticed Professor McGonagall coming towards Filch's office. Even though her dot was on the floor above, and far down the hall, a glance at the clock told Lily that it was time to stop their detention. She told all of this to James, who quickly muttered "Mischief managed" and refolded the Map. He was about to put it back in his pocket, but Lily stopped him.

"James! You are going to put that back in that drawer where it belongs!"

"But Lily! Why would I want to put it back! It's mine by right, anyway!"

Lily thought quickly, for she didn't have a good reason. "Ah! I know! If you put it back in that drawer, some future mischief maker will be able to find it one day when they are getting threatened with hanging from the ceiling by their knuckles! Or toes, or whatever it is that Filch finds most terrifying. They just might find it amusing to raid Filch's cabinets and discover this map. You'd be securing the future of trouble-making within Hogwarts."

Lily couldn't believe she actually encouraged that. But if it meant James wouldn't get caught again, then…

James paused for a second, and then spoke.

"Good thinking, Evans!" And with that, he very quickly shoved the parchment back into the drawer and assumed his position in front of the files boxes, pretending to be reading a card off to Lily, who resumed her own spot in front of the parchment cards with quill in hand.

And sure enough, a quarter of a minute later, Professor McGonagall walked in, looking slightly tired.

"Potter, Evans; I believe that this is enough for tonight. I will escort you back to your dormitory; your duties were taken over by Remus and one of the sixth year Gryffindor prefects—Kayla, I believe her name is."

She stood aside from the door to allow the two Gryffindors to walk out of the office and into the hallway. As soon as the lights in the room were turned down and the door closed and locked—Peeves was fond of Filch's office—McGonagall walked a ways with Lily and James.

"I trust you had a fine time with the files?" she asked, with a bit of sarcasm apparent in her words.

"Oh yes," replied James, smiling, "I had a great time reading off all of my accomplishments to my dear friend Lily."

McGonagall gave a stiff sort of chuckle.

"Yes, dear, they were certainly plenty of 'accomplishments' to be told of. I just hope you didn't bore Miss Evans into next Tuesday."

"Of course not! We had many-a-laugh over some of the accomplishments." James and Lily turned at the bottom of the flight of stairs where they would be parting ways with the Professor.

She bade the two Heads 'good night' and walked down the hallway leading to the professor's wing. Returning the goodbye, Lily and James turned and walked up to their dormitory.

They fell asleep nearly as soon as their heads hit their own pillows.

**Author's Note: **Oh, that part where James tells Lily that her name will be on a card for some kid to see…Yeah, I know Harry should've seen it, but hey…don't mind that. :)


	16. Bad News

**Chapter Sixteen - Bad News**

The inevitably cold, stormy winds began swooping around the castle. Fall was underway during these first days of October.

The Marauders, Lily, Nikeia and Josephine had talked a bit to Stacey over the next days, just for the sake of appearances. They may have even had thoughts of trying to get her back to their side, but they knew deep down that if they _did_ succeed, she would most certainly go through pain as she has never felt before, and probably never would again.

James and Lily spent many of the nights in their common room, talking or working on essays. James was pleased to find that Lily was actually willing to help him now, not that she gave much away beside subtle hints on which books to read, or certain clue words that helped him. He found that their conversations were quite enjoyable; they were full of teasing, sarcasm, and laughter, as well as genuine talk, the kind that happens between two people who've decided they're going to become great friends. Of course, James still acted up and goofed off, but Lily found that she was able to stand it just a bit more.

They served their final detention on Tuesday. They went through a whole other box of 'crimes' committed against the school by the Marauders. It was James's turn to write out the cards, and Lily got to stand in front of the files and read off a bunch of punishments. So all-in-all, they had looked forward to it greatly. Yeah, right.

The Headmaster made the announcement of the Halloween feast at breakfast the next day, which would be in a few weeks. Everyone began talking about it, though Sirius couldn't for the life of him figure out what they were talking about. It was all about the food wasn't it?

The mail arrived right after Dumbledore's announcement, and it brought James a letter.

The group had been laughing about Quidditch tryouts and talking about the feast, and so James opened the letter without much thought.

His face fell, however, as his eyes read the text. He started breathing heavier and dropped his head on his hands.

"Prongs?" asked Sirius, his face worried and tight. "What is it, mate?"

James held the letter away from his face. Sirius took it and began reading. His own face fell just as swiftly as James's and became one of stunned horror.

"Sirius?" asked Lily worriedly, placing a hand on James's back and reaching out for the letter.

Sirius hesitated handing it to her, and looked to James. "Prongs?" he asked, quietly.

James nodded, still breathing heavy.

Lily grabbed the letter from Sirius's shaking hand, and keeping her hand on James, she read the letter.

She gasped.

"Lily, what is it? What in the world is going on?" asked Remus.

"My parents," muttered James, pressing his hands into his eyes. "They're in St. Mungo's. Some wizarding disease that isn't well-known. They know it's contagious though, and have my parents in a separate ward. I can't go see them, and they don't know how long…" His words faltered, and he covered his face entirely this time.

Lily wrapped her arms around him, and pressed her cheek to his back.

The others at the table were silent, stunned. Sirius was looking down at his plate, not moving.

"James..." muttered Alice, reaching over to press her hand against his shoulder.

He inhaled sharply, and straightened. In the same swift motion, he stood and started walking. Lily followed him out of the castle and onto the grounds.

She called out to him, and he stopped walking, his hands on his hips and his shoulders sagged.

Lily stepped in front of him, but was silent. She saw the tears in the corners of his eyes, and reached up to touch his face. He blinked, and a tear fell. Roughly, he brushed away the droplet. Lily stopped his hand, and held it between their bodies. He would not look at her, so she dropped his hand and wrapped her arms around him, pushing the fingers of one hand into his hair and pressing her cheek against his.

He was slow to respond, but eventually he grabbed her up, and held her tight to him. She felt the anguish, and tightened her hold.

Minutes passed, and still he said nothing.

Finally, Lily said, "We have class… should I tell Slughorn that we'll miss it?"

James sniffled, and shook his head. He pulled away, and said, "No. I'll miss it. You go to class. Don't tell Slughorn."

"James…"

"I'm just going to go to the dorm. I… need to think."

"I don't want to leave you," Lily whispered.

Now, he looked into her eyes. He exhaled sharply and almost smiled. "I've dreamt of hearing you say that."

She chuckled faintly. "It's true now."

"Then we'll go to class. I'm not letting you miss class. And I…" he sighed, sniffled again. "I don't really want to be alone anyway."

She grabbed his hand, and turned back to the castle. As they slowly walked, she said, "St. Mungo's is full of great healers. They'll find something to help them."

He scoffed. "You read the letter. They know so little about it. They might not find anything to help them."

"Don't say that. The healers will work hard."

James did not respond as they continued up the steps back into the castle. Remus and Sirius were waiting for them, holding their bookbags. Sirius gave James a strong hug after handing over the brown bag. Remus clasped James on the shoulder, his expression saying enough.

The group started walking towards their classes, with Remus splitting away from them to go to his own class.

The three said little during the class, and since the rest of the class had not heard the news, James was saved from any questions.

The next day culminated with James and Lily sitting in the Owlery, writing a letter to James's parents. Actually, they each wrote a letter; Lily's as an introduction and a story of her times with James. The owl that was chosen to carry both letters seemed slightly daunted at the weighty roll of parchment, but he dutifully hooted and shot out the window. Lily again hugged James as they watched the owl sail away.

"I'm sorry you never got the meet them," James whispered.

"No, I've met them. I've definitely seen them on the platform," Lily said. She paused, then nodded. "Yes, I remember once a few years back, when I was passing you on the way off. You had called over to me, and I had wanted to ignore you, but then I saw that your parents were there. So I came over and met them. Don't you remember?"

James was silent, but slowly started nodding. "I think so. I'm sure I was rather ridiculous and pompous then, too, huh?"

Lily chuckled, and stretched upwards to kiss his cheek. "I think you were just eager to show off your parents."

He laughed. "You're justifying my past actions. This _is_ an improvement."

She also laughed, poking his side.

"I don't actually remember how you acted. And that might be an indicator that you didn't act horribly."

"Or it might be an indicator that I did, and since that was so commonplace back then, it didn't count as being worthy of remembrance," James countered, leading Lily out of the Owlery and towards their dorm.

"That is definitely a possibility."

During their last NEWT Potions class of the week, Lily once again received high praises from Professor Slughorn, which James knew she rightly deserved. He also noticed Snape writing down something in the margins of his tattered old Potions book, but he didn't give it second thought. Snape also glanced over at Stacey a few times, who sat across from him. James noticed this briefly, then put it from his mind.

He was focusing very hard on an advanced version of the Pepper-Up Potion. The effects lasted much longer, and the potion was use for extreme cases of depression or anxiety. He was slightly annoyed that he didn't have Remus to help; he was terrible with actually brewing the potions, but good at deciphering the tricky instructions.

He almost desired to take some for himself, but found that Lily was enough to keep him anchored. She had remained near him as they waited for more news from St. Mungo's. A letter had arrived that morning from his parents, and they sounded happy to hear about Lily and about his school year so far. They sounded happy, and that lifted James's spirits. An included letter from their Healer told James that they felt little pain, but the ailment showed no signs of abating. The Healer mentioned that the ailment was found in middle-aged wizards, but the actual cause was only speculated, not concretely known. Nevertheless, James loved hearing from his parents. Lily had also enjoyed reading the letter over his shoulder, opining that his parents sounded content and very happy with their son.

Nevertheless, Lily was stubborn in her idea that he should figure out his own potions, so she also was no help. With the hope of possibly becoming an Auror and helping to get rid of that silly Lord Volder-thingy, James needed to know how to brew many different sorts of potions. And while he could manage the original Pepper-Up Potion, this advanced version was—for some reason—giving him trouble, and he had no idea what he was doing wrong.

Once again rereading the text, he tried to figure out his error. It always seemed to be something different for some reason, so he never could just get it into his head to do this instead of that. It was quite frustrating.

"Mr. Potter!" cried Slughorn, nearly scaring James out of his wits as he came to inspect the progress of James, Sirius, and Nikeia. "You are doing quite well, but this potion just never seems to go as you want it to, does it now, my chap?"

"I don't know what it is, sir. I always managed to screw this one up! Do _you_ know what I did wrong thistime?" asked James, throwing down his stirring rod.

"Why, it looks as if you didn't stir quite enough after step three," suggested Slughorn.

James slapped his hand to his forehead. "Blast!" he said out loud, and fell back into his chair. "Ow..." he muttered very softly, rubbing his hurt forehead swiftly; he had hit it harder than he intended to.

"No worries! Just finish the potion to the following rules; it's good enough to earn an 'A'," commanded Slughorn as he went to inspect a Hufflepuff's potion after satisfactory nods at Sirius's and Nikeia's potions.

James did as he was told, and the potion ended up looking more butter yellow than sunshine. He shrugged and he watched Lily and Snape place their perfectly colored potions on the desk. He good-naturedly glared at Lily. She rolled her eyes and walked back to her desk. She picked up her bag and walk out of the room with Nikeia. James and Sirius quickly followed the girls.

Out in the corridor, James wrapped an arm around Lily as they walked to their Transfiguration class. Sirius smiled and gently grasped Nikeia's own hand. She blushed slightly but didn't pull away. Outside the classroom, they met up with Josey, Alice, and Frank all in deep conversation. Remus was standing next to them, not talking, but smiling gently as he listened. Peter, too, was listening intently.

James deduced that they were talking about something for Herbology, the class they all had together.

"I don't get what's so special about some plant that can eat you alive," he admitted as he and the others approached the small group. The three Herbology students glared playfully. Frank lightly slugged James on the shoulder. Remus chuckled.

The door opened for them. (Josey left for her Muggle Studies class which she took with Peter.) As they all took their seats somewhere in the middle of the classroom, Professor McGonagall walked in and told them to open their books to last night's reading. She then started a discussion on the act of transfiguring one's self, which she assured them they would be unable to attempt that day. James, Sirius and Remus caught each other's eyes, as this was all a 'piece of cake' to them. Looking back to Lily, James winked. She chuckled softly. James did notice Remus giving his a curious look, but he ignored it and returned to the conversation.

As McGonagall continued to talk to the class, actually allowing her students to ask questions and comment on the idea of being an Animagus, which was slightly different than transfiguring one's self. McGonagall actually allowed them the pleasure to watch as she changed from her human form to a tabby cat with marking around the eyes which looked like the black-rimmed glasses she wore. Finally she ended her lecture and told them to start working on a two foot paper due in two days on Animagi.

As he listened, James used his left hand as a head-rest, and his right arm lay over his thighs. Absentmindedly, he began wiggling his fingers, consequently tapping the edge of Lily's thigh. He didn't realize this until Lily pressed his fingers against her thigh with her hand, stilling them. He glanced up and smiled sheepishly before switching hands. His right hand took over the job of chin-rest, and his left hand rested against Lily's leg, her hand clasped in his.

That was when more bad news came.

In what was probably the third time in the history of Dumbledore's role as Headmaster, he appeared in a classroom. The expression on his face was dreadfully grave as he addressed Professor McGonagall.

"Excuse me, Professor. May I see Miss Evans for a moment, please?" Everyone turned to look at Lily, and then at Dumbledore. Lily got up and walked out in front of the Headmaster.

A few minutes later, a strangled cry echoed into the classroom and James shot out of his seat. Ignoring the call of his surname from his teacher, he ran out of the classroom at the second cry.

Nikeia, too, stood up, but McGonagall ordered her to sit.

"But, Professor!" cried Nikeia.

"Strathmore! I have hardly any control over the Marauders as a group; on their own, I have even less! I am sorry but I cannot have my students running out of the classroom. Now sit and work on your essay!" But no one could say that there wasn't a look of concern on the Professor's face after yet another cry was muffled, uttered into the clothing of someone else.

James stood, his arms wrapped tightly around Lily's shoulders, his cheek pressed against her temple, and with his hazel eyes, looked at the headmaster on whom he had never seen such a sad face. Lily's whole body shook with sobs that she made no attempt to stifle. Dumbledore had a hand on each of their shoulders. As James readjusted his stance to a more comfortable position and moved his head to look into the older man's eyes, he asked the question that would explain the reason for Lily's sobbing.

"What happened?"

"There was an attack."

A sick feeling entered James's stomach. There was really only one culprit that could be behind an attack on Muggles…

"Voldemort," Dumbledore said, his eyes slowly blinking. He looked to the ground, and James felt his stomach drop sickly.

_No, not this!_ he thought to himself, _Not her!_

"I afraid that there was an attack on Lily's parents. They were found in their home in Surrey this morning. The Mark was scorched into the wall above their poor bodies." Dumbledore's face took on a look of revulsion at the act, and yet, retained its entire look of sadness. If it was possible, James's stomach fell even lower and his heart took up residence right on top of it. "Her older sister, Petunia, was not in the house, so she is still alive, and has been seen, though not willingly."

"Professor? How do you know about this?" asked James, blinking rapidly to keep the tears back.

"An owl was sent to the Ministry and the Head of the Auror Department, Alastor Moody, was called to the house. He found them and sent back for help. They are still trying to find out why it was an owl, not a Mark over the house, which signaled the deaths."

Then, something in James's head clicked.

"What if it was some sort of initiation act? Like it was done by a beginning Death Eater; someone new to the 'dark side'?"

"Mr. Potter, what do you mean?"

"Well, what if it was done by someone-" but James was once again aware of the girl in his arms. He looked up to his Headmaster. "Professor, would you mind if I spoke with you later? It's just..." his voice trailed away and he pressed his chin against Lily's hair. Dumbledore gave a faint smile.

"That would be fine. Come to me after dinner and we will speak. Now, as to Miss Evans..."

"Would you mind if I took her back to the dormitory? Right now I'm sure all she needs in rest, and quiet," suggested James, and to his relief, Dumbledore nodded, but there was a strange look on his old face.

"Tell Professor McGonagall first, but you have my leave to take her. However, James, I would like to speak to you before you go back to your dormitory. Go speak to your Professor." With that, Dumbledore turned away, but did not go anywhere, a solemn and sad look on his face. James nuzzled Lily's head and told her to stay right where she was; he would be back for her. She nodded and sank down against the wall, her face tear-stained and still being renewed with fresh tears.

James walked back into the classroom, and directly to the front, to Professor McGonagall's desk, ignoring the stares of his and Lily's friends. Quickly he told his story to the professor, and after she gasped, she allowed him to leave the class. James thanked her, and went to gather his and Lily's things.

"James! What happened?" asked Nikeia with no small amount of fear in her voice.

"I can't tell you now, but I'll see you at dinner," said James softly and made to walk back outside. Sirius grabbed his robes and pulled him back. He reiterated Nikeia's question forcefully and James begrudgingly gave him a short answer, consisting of four words. As soon as his robes were released, which was quite quickly, he walked back outside, to the bewildered stares of his friends and everyone else in the class.

Dumbledore was still standing there, looking sad and forlorn.

"Professor?" asked James, pulling Lily up to her feet, and clutching her to his chest.

"I received another owl, just before the one from Alastor."

"Yeah," James said, slowly, not understanding.

"It was an owl from St. Mungo's."

James's heart froze. _NO!_

"Your parents passed this morning, James." Dumbledore's expression was mournful, but kind.

"No…" James whispered. "Not this too."

"I am sorry, James. I myself have looked into the disease; I sent the Healers any information I could find. They were dear people; I had many conversations with them, all of which were very enjoyable."

Dumbledore rested a hand on James's shoulder. "Take Lily up to your dorm. I will explain things to Professor McGonagall, and attempt to stop Mr. Black from bursting through any doors." Dumbledore smiled a wan smile, tinged with kindness.

James did not see Dumbledore rub his forehead, nor enter the classroom. James, instead, walked slowly back to the dormitory, still feeling Lily shake with sobs. His own heart was cracking.

Once in the common room, he set Lily on the couch. He removed their bags, then sat down next to Lily, and pulled her against his chest. There, she cried some more, even as James stroked her red hair, and allowed his own tears to fall.

Sometime, a few hours before dinner, the two students fell asleep, James with his arm around Lily. His sleep was full of questions.

Later, he awoke with a headache, and a sore throat. Then, everything came back to him and he groaned. Very slowly, he got up from the soft couch, making sure to set Lily down gently. Throwing the blanket over her, he looked onto her tear-stained face and messed-up hair. As he wondered how something so terrible could happen to someone such as Lily, James remembered that the same had just happened to him.

He fell forward onto his knees, heaving a cry of exasperation as he punched the navy carpet with both fists.

James clutched at his hair, and fell over onto his side, his back to the fire.

And he cried himself to sleep.

After arguing profusely with the guardian of the portrait in front of the Heads' dormitory, Remus, Sirius, Frank, Alice, Nikeia, and Peter and Josey—who had been told the news after class—burst into the common room, and rushed over to the couch. The two girls sat by the still-sleeping Lily. Nikeia took Lily's head and held it in her lap, and Josey sat on the floor, holding onto Lily's hand.

Remus knelt down next to James and was thoroughly confused. Why was James on the floor? Sirius voiced this question, and Remus could only shrug. He put a hand on James's shoulder, and shook him softly.

James awoke, and lay frozen for a moment. Then, he raised a hand to his eyes to rub away the sleep. He looked at his four friends and sat up, holding his head.

"James, what happened to Lily? To you?" asked Sirius, crouching down as well. A look of pain came over James's face, and he was somewhat taken aback when Alice knelt down beside him and hugged him. Nevertheless, he placed his arm around her waist, and rested his head on her shoulder. In soothing tones, she got him to relay what had happened.

"As I said already, Lily's parents were killed. They were murdered by Death Eaters."

"Death Eaters?" asked Peter, unbelievingly.

"Yes, the Dark Lord followers." James's voice sound hoarse to his ears, but he didn't feel at all up to making this conversation anymore that it had to be. "Murderers." He took a deep breath that scratched at his still sore throat. "This morning, an owl was sent to the Auror Department. It stated that the Evanses were murdered early this morning. Alastor Moody went to the house to find Lily's parents dead. The Dark Mark was scorched on the wall above where they were killed," finished James, and he drew his knees up to his chest.

"Dumbledore got another owl." He looked up at Sirius. "From St. Mungo's."

Those listening gasped and Alice squeezed James's shoulder, questioning with her eyes. James looked into them and all he could do was nod his head, his expression tired and hurt.

"No!" cried Sirius, rising to his feet and flailing his arms. "They can't be… They just can't!" Sirius had spent lots of time with the Potters, including the whole of the past summer. Samantha and Ian Potter had grown quite accustomed to the rollicking humor of James's best friend. The same could be said for Sirius, except it was more the cool, sharp wit and mind of the two adults that Sirius loved.

"Sirius! Please," said Remus, not looking at anyone. A hand was on his forehead and his expression bland. "James, I'm… Prongs, I'm sorry."

Frank and Peter repeated the sentiment as they sat in separate armchairs. Remus took the floor beside the couch, using the front of it to lean against. Sirius remained standing, his head pressed against the marble mantel of the fireplace. Nikeia and Josey also voiced their remorse.

After that, no one said anything for quite a while.

"Dinner's started," Frank whispered. His voice actually caused a few of them to jump.

"I'm not hungry," whispered James and Sirius in unison. Frank shrugged and did not move.

A few more minutes passed, and then Josey whispered, "Who would do such a thing to Lily's parents?"

James sneered slightly. "I already said. Voldemort."

Nikeia gasped. "You-Know-Who? James… her parents are Muggles; why would-"

"Because he hates Muggles."

"But why would he go after Lily's parents?"

"Initiation."

"What?" asked Frank.

"Initiation. Someone wanted to become a Death Eater. What better way to join the club than kill someone?" James's expression caused sharpened his handsome features, but lessened their appeal. His eyes, slightly red, held a stony, harsh quality.

The others were silent, then Sirius said, "Stacey?"

James nodded.

Remus scoffed. "James, be serious. Stacey wouldn't have done such a thing to Lily's parents. She's her classmate, after all."

"Which is why it would've been a perfect first task."

"First task…" Remus breathed. "James, that's ridiculous."

"No, I don't think it is."

"Stacey may have turned, but I don't think she could have done such a thing."

You didn't see her that night," James growled. "She would have done anything."

"But kill a friend's parents?"

"Who else could it have been? The Aurors learned of it by owl, not the Dark Mark."

"So? What does that-"

"It means that someone who didn't know how to produce the mark was the murderer. Stacey was new to the order—she might not have learned it yet."

Remus looked ready to fire another shot, but Alice called out. "Stop it! Both of you. This isn't helping anything, James. It's just tossing around ideas and getting both of you angry. Sirius, Peter, why don't you run down to the kitchens and find something for us to eat? Tempers only get worse on empty stomachs. I know you know where the kitchen is." She paused. "Remus—go with them."

All four men looked at her with raised eyebrows, and not a small amount of respect. Frank was smirking softly.

"I'll come with you guys," he said, rising from his chair. Remus, Peter and Sirius followed Frank out of the room.

Alice turned back to James. "Again; I'm sorry, James. I know you're hurt. But please, don't blame Stacey." She spoke softly, with one hand on James's arm. "If she was the one to do this, we should only feel remorse that she chose the path she did. Nothing can be done now."

James said nothing, nor did he look up at the brown-haired woman.

She turned to the couch, where Lily was starting to stir. When she woke, she looked around, and her eyes rested on James. Not taking her eyes off of him, she slowly sat up, only to be nearly smothered in hugs from her three girlfriends.

James watched silently as the four women whispered softly to each other. Lily looked tired and worn, and her eyes were also red-rimmed. But he still found her beautiful. Her eyes found his again and the emotion in them seemed to be a perfect mirror of his own feelings.

Then, her brow furrowed. "James… have you been crying?"

The three girls around her froze, realizing that she didn't know about James's parents.

James looked down at the carpet, briefly and sighed. "Dumbledore had a letter from St. Mungo's."

Lily's eyes widened. "St. Mungo's?"

James nodded, catching her gaze. She blinked quickly, and tears came to her eyes again. "Oh," she sighed, reaching out to him. Alice shuffled over as James moved to kneel before Lily. He took her hand, and held it in her lap.

"The letter said that they went this morning."

Lily leaned forward to press her forehead against his. Alice, Nikeia and Josey got up from the couch and moved to the desk. As James and Lily remained seated with their eyes closed, just breathing, the other three Gryffindors cleared the desk. A few minutes later, the boys returned with arms full of food. Josey brought food to the two people still near the fire, and the others grabbed their own plates.

They ate silently around the dying fireplace, glad to be in the presence of friends.

When they had long since finished eating, they remained around the fire in silence. Remus had added fuel to the flame, adding more heat to the room that felt cold from inside their bodies.

James eventually remembered that he was to talk to Dumbledore. Getting up slowly, he bent and kissed Lily's hair.

"Where are you going?" she asked, hoarsely.

"Dumbledore has the letter from St. Mungo's. I want to know what it says." He paused. "I also want to know what he thinks about this all."

Remus looked up at him with little emotion in his eyes.

James saw this, but turned and left the common room.

**Author's Note: **This was one of the chapters in which a plot point was changed to follow canon. Originally, I had James's parents killed with the Evanses. The fact that this was NOT canon annoyed me, so rewrote it to have James's parents die the way JKR planned. Since we don't know what happens to Lily's parents, just that Petunia is the only one left by the time Harry gets to Privet Drive, it is plausible that something like this could have happened.


	17. Talks With Friends

**Chapter Seventeen - Talks with Friends**

"James?" called a voice.

The voice came behind the raven-haired boy.

The boy was cold, and he failed to let it show. Not just on the outside; actually, he couldn't even feel the chilly air of the late month. He was cold on the inside. He just clutched his knees to his chest and looked out over the cold lake. Flurries cut the night air.

He also failed to notice that there was someone standing a few feet behind him, calling his name.

"James?" called the voice again, but the boy still didn't move. It was only when something finally nudged the small of James's back that he turned around. Standing in the cold, hugging her arms, was Josey. Her eyes were slightly red from crying, and her foot was extended.

James returned to staring across the lake, even as Josey took a seat right next to him.

"I thought you were going to see the Headmaster. What are you doing out here?" she asked.

James didn't respond, and Josey didn't push the topic. Instead, she said, "I would say I'm sorry, but I never understood what good it did. People apologizing for something they didn't do and never had any control over. Never made sense." Josey glanced at James as she picked at a bit of brown grass.

James snorted softly, agreeing with half his heart.

"I just wanted to talk to you," she stated. The young man didn't respond. "I know people say that talking doesn't work; that when you go through something hard, you think that talking does no good. It's not true. Talking does help, and that's what I want to do. I do it too much any other time, but…" Josey chuckled weakly, and then sighed at the lack of response from James. Not that she was expecting that great of a response.

"I do understand how you feel. I know that right now that probably doesn't seem possible. I understand that, too. In any case, when my older cousin died, I was heartbroken. He was basically my older brother. I do have a younger brother, but he's seven years younger. But Dan and I were very close. I loved him more than anything. When he was killed in a car accident, I thought I could just go outside, and stand in the December air and freeze. It wasn't like I would feel anything anyway; I was so cold and numb and…" She shuddered.

James's lifted his head off his arms and looked over at Josey, pleading with his hazel eyes for her to continue.

"I came back to school and was just miserable. You probably don't remember as you didn't know me at all, but I was."

James stuttered, "No, no… I do remember that. I mean, I vaguely remember. Sorry, I guess." And he did remember watching her out of the corner of his eye, a few years ago, and noticing that she was much more sullen than normal. He honestly had never known that her cousin had died. Since Josey was usually around Lily, he didn't talk to her.

"You noticed me because you noticed Lily, right?" teased Josey.

James ducked his head guiltily, then said, "That, and you are a beautiful girl." A hint of his normal self tinged the flattering sentence.

Josey laughed at his statement. "Yeah, I figured it would be one or the other." She was glad to see his lips quirk slightly. "But I don't mind. You know… I couldn't believe that Dan was gone, when he was. I remembered all the good things he did, and asked 'Why? Why was he gone? He was a great man!' But, I guess we don't have any control over things like that… this… Right?"

James didn't say anything, just looked out over the lake.

"I remembered one Halloween when I was younger. Dan had gone out and bought a pumpkin for me. I was eight, so this was before I knew that I was a witch, for my mother had kept it a secret that she was a witch. You see, my father had left us earlier that year when the secret came out, so I clung to Dan quite a bit. Anyway, I was standing on the landing, looking at myself in the mirror in my costume, and he came running up the stairs. I was so scared when he reached the top. I went screaming to the kitchen and to Mummy." She gave a laugh here, and James chuckled.

"It was things like that that had kept replaying in my mind when he passed away. All those good things that made him the person he was. He was one of the three family members that knew about my mum and I being witches. We could trust him. Him, and my aunt and her husband. They were the only ones, at that time. I wasn't blessed with a great family on my dad's side, which is one of the reasons I took Dan's death so hard."

Josey ran her fingers through the thin sheet of snow blanketing the ground. Then—and it was a random thought, even for her—she said, "Lily really likes you, you know?"

James's head turned toward her, and Josephine had an idea that he was wondering where it came from too.

"I mean… she may have thought that she hated you, but I bet she had some sort of inkling in the back of her mind, that really… really, you weren't so bad. And, I mean the farthest corner covered-in-cobwebs type of back-of-mind. She probably had this idea that you were lucky. You had good friends who were beside you, thick and thin, and she thought you didn't have to worry about this image that you showed to everyone. Lily had that, you know? Of course you know… you know everything about Lily."

James snorted, and then sniffled.

"Okay, maybe not everything," Josey conceded. "You knew quite a bit. But, Lily had this image that she had to keep up. That she was… well, whatever she was. But, I think she admired your careless attitude. That manner of doing whatever you wish, without someone judging for what you did or didn't do. After her beginning years of Hogwarts, I have a feeling that she felt that she couldn't change the… aura… she had put around herself. Prim-and-proper, perfect-Prefect…" she stuttered, repeating the 'puh' sound a few times. "Blast, what's a word that means 'intelligent' that starts with a 'p'?" asked Josey, making James chuckle.

"Don't laugh!" Josey betrayed herself by chuckling. "Alliteration is a hard thing!"

"Of course, it is, Jo," teased James, surprising Josey with a further shortening of her name. But then, the fact that he was teasing her made her heart swell. At least she was doing _something_ right.

"Anyway, Lily really likes you, James. And I think that if you…" Here, Josey stumbled. She needed to word what she was going to say next just right, so that it wouldn't come out wrong. "That if you… remain strong for her and for everyone else… you'll be a nearly invincible man. The ability to stay strong in the face of danger, no matter what happens to you, is an important thing. If you don't throw away these moments that are so dear, you'll grow… and in ways that people admire.

"James…I know this may be the wrong time to say this—and I was trying to say it without really saying it, but I've never been great at saying things just the way they have to be said—but… Well, I need you to remain strong. Don't… No, that's wrong." She paused again, not looking at James. "Don't… let go of your parents. Don't _ever_ let go of them. I mean… let them go, so you can move on without hindering yourself and where you want to be. But, don't let all the wonderful, amazing, brave… _amazing_ things they did go away. Remember those times, and remember that they would want you to act the same way. They would want you to be as brave as they were. As amazing and as marvelous, James." Josey sniffled once, and turned toward James.

"Remember them, James…but don't hold on too tight. You're strong, and we're all going to need you in the times that are coming. I have feeling that what just happened is not going to be the last. There's going to bit a bit more death before this is all over." Josey snuffled harder and blinked her eyes. James still was looking out to the lake, the tears collecting in his eyes.

Silence fell between them.

"I just can't believe they're not going to be on the platform when I get off the train," James said around his oncoming tears. Josey's head snapped up, shaking furiously.

"You won't be alone, you know! You have all of us that care about you so fully. James… We'll always be with you, no matter what. Lily's going to stay with you for a great deal longer, I can tell. Remus and Sirius and Peter… they're never going to leave you. They're _stuck_ to you. Dumbledore and McGonagall… Nikeia, and me." She reached out to press a hand against his shoulder. "We'll be right next to Lily and right next to you. Oh, James. You'll never be alone. And plus… if you hold onto the good things that you did with your parents—those times when you made them laugh 'till they cried—your parents will always be with you in memory. And I know that that sounded a bit cliché, but clichés are so cliché and hackneyed because they're true. That's why they're cliché… And I know that that was confusing, _but it's true!_"

Josey stopped, and took a deep breath.

"James… forgive me, for sounding cruel, or mean. I… I've probably dug myself into a hole. Who am I to ask you do something? Oh bother…" she muttered to herself.

James didn't show that he heard.

Josey sighed, and wiped her eyes. She had said what she had wanted to say, even though she didn't know if it'll work. She knew, however, that she didn't know what she would do if James wasn't there. There hadn't been a day at Hogwarts when the Marauders weren't mentioned if some way or another. They had an effect on everyone in the building, even the Slytherins, whether they liked it or not. And Josey figured that if even one of the Marauders was "out of it" the rest would be too… and that would cause chaos. So, Josey knew that she needed James to be strong. He was a source of strength in her life, and a source of… uniformity; The Marauders were nearly always the same. At least… they were always the same in that there was always something to laugh about with them, and always something spontaneous about to happen. And in this world of changing things… they would all need some similitude now and again.

"It's getting colder… so don't stay out here too much longer. Please…" After no response, Josey sighed again and took her feet. "I'll see you later, James." And the blonde started to walk away.

She was halfway up the lawn to the school when she heard her name. She closed her eyes for a moment to stop the flow of quiet tears and wiped her eyes. Turning around, she saw James get to his feet and starting walking to her. When he was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her. She returned the hug, thanking whatever Almighty there was that understanding had come between them.

"Thank you…" was whispered in her ear, and she smiled gently.

"You're welcome."

Before pulling away, James whispered, "Thanks for telling me what you learned. I've learned that friendly advice goes a long way."

She smiled again.

James pulled away, and sniffled once. Then, a smirk came to his lips. "Though, I am rather stubborn, so if I forget what you told me, just punch me and repeat."

Josey laughed, and gently punched his shoulder. "Repeat the punching, or repeat the conversation?"

James exhaled in laughter. "Whatever it takes."

He gestured up to the castle, and they started walking throw the still falling snow.

When they reached the main foyer, James said softly, "I was supposed to meet Dumbledore. I just felt like going outside for a bit. So…"

Josey nodded, and started to backpedal away.

"Jo…"

"Yeah?"

"Stay with Lily? She'll need someone while I'm not there."

"Of course, James." She waved gently, then turned again and continued on her way.

James ran a hand under his nose and made his way towards Dumbledore's office.

It had taken a while, but Josephine's words had finally made their way into his heart, and he knew she was right. He could hold on, but not to the fact that they were… that they were gone. He should hold onto all the great things they had done.

After all, it probably wasn't easy having to take care of him, was it? That was more a show of strength than anything James knew, now that he thought of it. To raise a child in a path that was the right one. And though his deviousness and love of pranking might not have been characteristics they had wanted, he knew they had done right by him.

He smiled weakly. How much energy _would_ it have taken to raise him? Watching their small energetic child grow into a mischievous boy, and finally to the trouble-making monstrosity—and yet handsome, James admitted cockily—young man known as their son, must not have been full of effortless moments. He smiled sadly remembering everything: all the punishments he received and yet the laughter they had shared in all the jokes that James came up with.

He was glad that they had died together.

Then, James' thoughts turned towards Lily's parents. She would need someone to keep her standing. True, she had Nikeia and Josey, but she would need him. And he warmed to that notion.

Nevertheless, he still asked himself, _Why do things like this happen to the best of people?_ From what he had heard of Lily's family, apart from her freaky sister Petunia, the Evanses were good people. They had to be, to be parents of Lily's. _I wonder what made the person who said 'The good die young,' say that? What had they been going through?_

James let his feet carry him slowly to Dumbledore's office. As he walked, he thought over what he would tell Dumbledore. Though the Headmaster was an understanding man, he was firm in the belief of a fair argument and the presence of proof. James figured that there was enough evidence, but now that he thought of it, he figured he should have told Dumbledore of the meeting in the hallway. He resolved to make that the first point of discussion.

James was surprised to find the ugly gargoyle looking at him after what seemed like a short time walking. James gave the gargoyle the password (_Fizzing Whizbee_) and James made his way up the winding staircase into the circular office. The elderly man sat there with his usual solemn look. And now that James really looked at him, he found that the man he looked up to had a good deal of worry, stress, and sorrow in his usually wise, calm face.

"Now, please have a seat, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, waving his hand to a comfortable looking chair. James dropped heavily into the chair in front of the desk, and took a deep breath. Dumbledore took out a small box, and opened the lid. He held it out to James. Inside were tear-drop shaped pieces of something that were covered in aluminum foil. James tentatively reached forward and took one. Dumbledore took one and unwrapped it. When James saw that it was chocolate, he quickly opened his own. He smiled as the chocolate warmed him up from head to toe.

"This," Dumbledore said, reaching over and picking up a roll of parchment, "is the letter from St. Mungo's."

James hesitated, then took they letter. Slowly opening it, he sighed and began reading. It was a kind letter, addressed to Dumbledore, speaking of the Potter's as two strong people that went well. They felt little pain, and died within minutes of each other. The last paragraph spoke of funeral arrangements; James very briefly scanned over this.

"Tell me what you were thinking earlier, James."

"Well," started James, moving the chocolate to the side of his mouth, "I really should start with something that happened a while ago. Lily and I were doing our patrols and..." James went into the entire story of that night, starting when they saw Stacey and Snape. James watched closely the emotions passing over the professor's face, though it remained thoughtful for a good part of the time. When James finally finished, silence reigned for a few minutes.

"Hmm," muttered Dumbledore, "it is sad news to hear of such a matter in our halls. Yes, James, I do believe your story. But, I have a feeling that there is something else you wish to tell me." He gave a gesture allowing James to go into his ideas of the recent attack.

"I believe that, because of the form of communication used to tell the Ministry of the attack on the Evanses, the person who attacked them was an amateur." James spoke these words haltingly, thinking about what he would say next, keeping his temper checked and his voice even. "The inability to produce a Dark Mark shows that the attacker either didn't know the spell, or they were incapable of producing it to the extent that was required. I am assuming that it is very dark magic and advanced." Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "And though I liked Stacey Wilson, I think that she was the one carry out the attack."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly, but his expression otherwise urged James to continue. "She spoke of this crazy desire for greatness and seemed to feel that the only way to get it was by serving You-Know-Who."

"Please, Mr. Potter. I know you use the proper name. Do continue," murmured Dumbledore.

"Voldemort, then. By serving Voldemort. It seems that by doing something like this, not only to a Muggleborn's family but to the head of the class, that it was deliberately planned. Oh, and she was there when I read off the letter that stated that my parents wanted to visit Lily's. It was her first day, yes, but she could have remembered it." James had just then remembered that last bit of information and hoped it would do something, though he wasn't so sure.

Once again, silence reigned.

Finally Dumbledore looked up, or at least to James, for he had been staring out the window.

"Well, what you have said is a reasonable idea. But James, allow me ask you a question: is the desire for greatness such an alienating thing?"

James's brow furrowed, and he sat forward. "When it ends up killing someone, then yes."

"But, James. Have you not felt the same desire?"

"To kill someone?"

"Of course not. To be great. To have glory. What is Quidditch to you?"

James started to respond angrily, but thought quickly. Sickly, he found that Dumbledore was right. It was of the many things he had talked about with Remus and Sirius over the summer. James did want to be well known.

"But I wouldn't do what she did."

"I understand. But before you judge her too harshly, realize from where she came." Dumbledore continued to speak softly in that understanding tone of his. "We cannot just accuse Miss Wilson with murder. As much as the Evans' death hurts me, I think a bit more evidence is required."

"But, Headmaster-"

"Mr. Potter, we shall speak more of this at another-"

"NO!" James felt a rush of anger, sadness and a need for Dumbledore to believe him. "Lily is hurting and _I_ am hurting! We need whoever hurt us to be punished! Whoever did this, whether it was Stacey or not, should be sought after!"

James picked up some gadget sitting on the Headmaster's desk and threw it across the room, where it shattered.

Dumbledore turned away from James, who was panting heavily, and looked at the silver remains of whatever the thing was.

"I knew you would do this, which I why I didn't come to you into the first place after that night. I know you would do nothing! You always do!"

"James," uttered Dumbledore, in a voice that made James's eyes widen. It was the fiercest James had ever heard coming from the old man, even though it was not the angriest voice James had ever heard. It surprised James to find that Dumbledore spoke his anger in a way similar to James's (when he wasn't throwing gadgets); in a way that resonated off the walls for all that it was just above a whisper.

"You know that what you just said is not entirely true. And, I would appreciate it if you let me finish before you go off into an anger-induced shouting rant. I follow your logic, and while it does make sense, I _cann__ot_ accuse two of my students of treason and one of them of murder. I will not either agree with you or disagree with you at this point. But, there is one thing which I will disagree to. You say Miss Evans needs whoever killed her parents to be punished. That you both need this. Right now, I think the thing she needs most is the love and strength of you and your friends. Lily's friends, too, will need a strong man like you." Dumbledore watched James for a moment. The younger man was still breathing heavily, and his brow was still furrowed. "Another thing to which I disagree is the idea that I do nothing. I assure you, Mr. Potter, I will do something. I will watch the two of them. But I will not accuse them."

He fell silent. Then, "Good night," he said with a smile that was kind, but told James that their conversation was over.

Dumbledore couldn't know that what he had said about everyone needing James was just what Josey had said.

James looked into the elder man's eyes and tried to express himself. Dumbledore tilted his head downward in a slightly reprimanding way and blinked slowly. "James, I am sorry, but it is getting rather late."

James Potter sighed, but walked to the doorway. Before he stepped out of the room, he turned and looked once more to Dumbledore.

"I am sorry about smashing whatever that thing was. I reacted before thinking."

"You do have a habit of doing so, don't you?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. James shrugged. "Do not worry. I have far too many possessions, as it is, so a few objects here and there won't be too much lost," he said with a sort of smile. James nodded and started to turn back, but his headmaster called to him.

"Oh, James… may I can offer you another chocolate? I've found that they're rather nice treats to comfort. And I must admit… I'm a bit of an addict." Dumbledore smiled kindly and held out the box. James smiled back wearily, tired from the day's events, and grabbed a few chocolates.

Entering the common room, James saw that all of his friends were still there. Remus was sitting on the floor in front of Josey's chair. Josey was sleeping, curled up in the chair. Frank and Alice were lying next to the fire, asleep in each other's arms. Lily was leaning on Sirius's shoulder and Nikeia was leaning on Lily, her arms wrapped around her dear friend. Peter was asleep on the other side of the fireplace, leaning against the stonework.

Remus opened his eyes when James stepped into the semicircle of furniture and looked up.

"James," he started apologetically, but the other man cut him off.

"Don't worry 'bout it, mate. Dumbledore thought the same as you."

Remus smiled wanly, and watched as James smiled weakly down at Sirius and Lily. He gently nudged Sirius's bare foot. Sirius's eyes opened and looked up at James. Then he glanced at Lily, and very slowly started to get up.

James made to object, but Sirius whispered softly: "Shush! Take my spot; Lily probably would feel better when she wakes up leaning on you than on me." Sirius began standing, holding Lily up as James sat down. As they moved, Sirius said, "Though, I am a bit more comfortable than you—you're too angular."

Remus snorted in laughter, and James kicked Sirius's leg gently. He let Lily fall against him, her head resting against his inner shoulder. He stretched out sort of diagonal along the couch, with one leg resting on the brocade fabric. He wrapped that arm around Lily and held her as close as he could. He also readjusted the woven blanket over them both.

Sirius slowly lifted Nikeia into his arms and brought her over to the chair not occupied by Josey. He sat down, letting Nikeia lean against his chest. Slowly, as to not wake the girl on his lap, he took a blanket off the floor. James watched as Sirius tossed the blanket over the both of them.

Remus had eased the fire to a bit more life while the other guys were adjusting.

"James?" asked Sirius. James nodded to show he was listening. "I- I want you to know that I will miss your parents greatly. And I want you to know that, well… that I am here for you and I care." He, too, smiled sadly at James, before resting his head against Nikeia's.

James looked down to the peaceful face of Lily below him, and shook his head, hearing all the words that had been spoke to him over the course of a few hours.

_This is going to be a long couple of days_.

**Author's Note: **A wonderful (MNFF) reader asked to have Josey and Nikeia's stories explained just a bit more, so putting Josey in this chapter was mostly **Meiqueen**'s idea. Thanks!


	18. Goodbye

**Chapter Eighteen - Goodbye**

_This is going to be a long couple of days_.

And James was right.

A funeral ceremony would be held that Sunday for both James's parents and Lily's. The few days before were spent in relative silence. Little things interrupted any hope of perfect peace, of course, but they did not have any classes to worry about, and they didn't leave their common room much. They did eat in the Great Hall, and ignored the few stares from people around them. Many offered condolences, which were accepted with faint smiles and murmurs. A few of the younger Gryffindor girls—Mary MacDonald, Jane Robin, and Emma Longfellow—sent Lily a large bouquet of flowers they had conjured. Each petal glistened with magic, and they were all shaped differently, none of the actually flower-shaped.

James and Lily did spend most of the time together. James remembered what Josey said and regaled Lily with a few tales of his childhood. She laughed at the silly stories, and attempted to tell some of her own. Most of them were from before she found out about Hogwarts, when she and her older sister were still close. She had remained close to her parents, but their relationship was strained by the actions and feelings of her sister.

On Sunday, Lily and James dressed in plain black clothes of the Muggle variety. Their friends—the ones who had frequented their common room every day—did the same. Peter would not be coming, as he had a few remedial classes later that day. He did express his sadness, though, and even conjured flowers. James and Lily both knew that it was a feat for him; Lily accepted them with a hug for the shorter young man.

Right before lunch, they made their way to McGonagall's office, where they would use the fireplace to Floo to a wizarding house near Lily's home.

As they walked, James had his arm firmly around Lily. She looked sad, but she looked neat. He still was trying to answer the questions he had posed in his mind a day or two ago: W_hy do things like this always happen to the best of people?_ Try as he might, he was unable to come up with an answer.

When they arrived at the house, her eyes flooded over, and she turned into James's chest. He held her close and let her tears soak into his black sweater. The others stood a bit apart, allowing the two a bit of privacy. As soon as Lily was able, the students walked into the house, where a family and friends were having brunch. Many came up to Lily and offered their condolences. She smiled faintly and greeted her family, most of whom she had not seen in quite some time.

James stood next to her, and he was introduced to many people. Quite a few comments about how handsome he was were made, all to which Lily merely smiled. Sirius and Nikeia, the only two Purebloods aside from James and Remus, walked around the house, examining all the Muggle things with amazement. Remus, who controlled himself, was the one to pull them away from the range in the kitchen were they were trying to figure out how to turn the burner on. A few of the Evanses' friends were looking at them with raised eyebrow, not understanding their fascination. Frank and Alice, also pureblood, contented themselves with walking through the indoor garden at the back of the house, snacking on the various homemade food items.

Just when James could see that Lily was getting weary of all the talk, a woman approached them, smiling broadly. In his head, he imagined all the gushing she would do. He even imagined her pinching his cheek and enthusing over how handsome he was and asking if they'd set a date. He was surprised, then, when she embraced Lily without saying anything.

"You dear thing. I was heartbroken when I heard the news, but secretly happy that I'd get a chance to see you," she admitted, pulling away and holding Lily at an arm's length. Lily looked slightly surprised, but also happy.

"It's nice to see you, too. It has been pretty long, hasn't it?"

"My dear!" cried the woman, throwing up a hand in a dramatic gesture. "It's been nearly three years! You were just a little thing when I last saw you. I hate that boarding school of yours for taking you away from me!"

Lily chuckled. "Don't hate it. I love it; I'm very happy there."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Very well. I'll just dislike it. Greatly."

James chuckled, and decided that he definitely liked this woman. She was older, with a kind, lined face and graying curly hair.

He stood straight when she suddenly turned a keen gaze on him. "So, you must be the young man I've heard about," said the elderly woman.

He began to stutter. The woman chuckled.

"Don't worry. I do approve." She leaned closer to Lily. "Tall, strapping, handsome. Bit thin, and he has very black hair that sticks up in the back, but overall, decent."

Lily smiled somewhat tiredly. She had heard the same thing all day.

"But, I can imagine you've heard that before, haven't you?" asked the woman. "I am sorry, Lily."

She turned again to James. "I'm Michelle. I live just down the street. Lily and her sister would visit me when they were younger. We had grand tea parties and played dress-up."

Lily blushed, and bit her lip. James noticed, and sniggered.

"Michelle," murmured Lily, embarrassed.

"Oh, phew! It's nothing to be ashamed of!" intoned Michelle, shaking Lily ever-so-slightly. "Though the time you tried on that old brassiere of my mother's and then fell down the stairs in those ridiculous high heels was quite amusing!" Michelle was laughing by the time she finished.

Lily's face turned even redder, and James attempted to bite back his laughter. A snort escaped however, and Lily glared at him.

"Oh, but I have embarrassed you, haven't I? Do forgive me. Just an old lady's memories from long ago." She looked around. "Now, I did see a few other young men walking around; they were all quite attractive. I'd like to be introduced to them," she said, almost flirtatiously. James decided he definitely liked her.

Suddenly, she threw up her hands again, and turning back to James, exclaimed, "Why I've forgotten to find out your name! How clumsy!"

James, whose face was still split into a smile at the memory Michelle brought up, nodded and gave his name.

"James? Good name. My husband's name. We were married forty years! And then he went and died; the silly old man."

James and Lily both chuckled, then led Michelle to her other friends. They had all met in the garden by this time, tired of being looked at and questioned. They were introduced quickly, and Michelle even batted her eyes at Sirius. He went along with it very good naturedly, causing the group around to chuckle at the antics of the old lady and Sirius.

Eventually, they sobered and Michelle asked about Lily's boarding school.

"It is wonderful," James offered, holding Lily in front of him. "Almost magical."

This got a slight chuckle from the Hogwarts students, but Michelle didn't give it second thought. James felt when Lily chuckled, but could also feel her leaning heavily against him, using him as support.

"And how are Lily's grades there? I'm not too caught up in all that fiddle-faddle. And I do feel sorry for this. I did want to write, but I was never able to get the address. Your parents always seemed rather surprised when I asked, as if they didn't know the address themselves." Michelle rolled her eyes and chuckled.

The teenagers joined in her amusement, even though they themselves didn't know the school's actual address, if it even had one.

"She's the top of her class," offered James. "Very smart and a favorite among a few of our teachers; especially Po- er...Chemistry."

Sirius snorted at James's almost slip.

"Ah, chemistry," she sighed, looking through her eyelashes at James and Lily. Both of them blushed, not quite understanding the statement, but deducing that it was an allusion their relationship. "Such a beautiful thing. When I first met my James there were sparks." She sighed again, happily remembering.

Sirius scoffed. "I'm sure there were fireworks when I first saw you," he said silkily, with his smirk.

Michelle batted her eyelashes at him—actually batted her eyelashes!—then roared with laughter, and turned to Nikeia. "You better watch this one dear! He's quite the charmer!" She continued to chuckle as Nikeia elbowed Sirius in the stomach.

Silence fell for a few moments, with everyone enjoying the silence of the hothouse.

Lily spoke first, softly. "Michelle, do you know what will happen now? I mean, to my… to my parents."

Michelle looked to Lily with such an expression of love that Lily left James's embrace and entered Michelle's.

"They'll be buried tomorrow morning, my dear. I heard that you would not be able to make it?"

Lily shook her head against the woman's shoulder.

"Don't worry, pet. They know you loved them dearly. It was enough to see you here. Thank you for coming out."

"I wouldn't have missed it," uttered Lily, softly. Her eyes started watering again.

Michelle just stroked her hair for a moment.

Then, a voice called, "Michelle!" A tall, slender woman entered the hothouse, and glanced around. She froze when she saw the group of people. James realized that this was Petunia, Lily's older sister. She had brown hair, and a rather long face. She was dressed impeccably in what James assumed was her finest dress.

"Oh, you're here," she said, rather coldly when she saw Lily, who had quickly reached up to wipe her tears away.

The youngest Evans stepped from Michelle's embrace, and faced her sister.

"Yes, I came in for the day."

Petunia sniffed, and looked at the other teenagers. "Are these other freaks like you?"

"Petunia!" cried Michelle, aghast.

Sirius stepped forward with a clenched fist, but Remus stopped him with an arm across his chest.

"Yes, Petunia. These are my friends from school." Lily took a deep breath, and curled her arm around James's. "This is James; the others guys are Remus, Sirius and Frank. Josey, Nikeia and Alice are my dear girlfriends."

Petunia didn't respond. "What happened to the other one?"

Lily looked at Petunia with a quizzical brow. "Who?"

"The one that… Never mind."

She turned suddenly, as another man approached her from behind. She smiled, and pulled him forward. "This is Vernon Dursley." She paused, then said in a haughty tone, "We're engaged."

Lily gasped, "Petunia! Congratulations."

Petunia and Vernon smiled ever so slightly.

James approached the other man—though he didn't let go of Lily's hand—smiling kindly. He extended a hand.

Vernon looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but accepted.

Petunia looked shocked. "Vernon, this are friends of Lily's from that school of hers."

Quickly, Vernon released James's hand. "I see," he murmured, almost disgustedly. James did not react but to stiffen slightly.

"Well, I really don't understand what's so wrong with Lily's school, Petunia. You're being quite rude," opined Michelle.

Petunia looked to Michelle, and Lily noticed that she looked slightly sheepish. She didn't say anything else on the matter, however. She did finally step into the hothouse (James noticed that it didn't seem like Vernon would fit through the door, and indeed he didn't try) and walked over to Michelle.

"I was coming to find you. I heard you were here." She bent down to hug the shorter woman. Michelle returned the hug. As Petunia and Michelle started talking, the Hogwarts students gathered together. Vernon was pointedly ignoring them.

Sirius sneered. "Rude Muggles."

"Sirius," scolded Remus.

Lily shrugged. "It doesn't matter," she said, wearily. "I've dealt with it for so long… And now she's engaged to that hippopotamic landmass!"

"Is that even a word?" asked Josey.

"Whether it is or isn't, it sounds mean," replied Sirius, smirking. "And I like it."

They laughed until James looked down at his watch and said, "It's about time we got back to the Floo point."

They sobered quickly with the realization that they now had to go to the visitation and burial for the Potters. They began leaving the hothouse (filing past and ignoring Mr. Vernon "Landmass" Dursley), until James and Lily were the last ones.

"Michelle, Petunia…" started Lily, taking a step toward them. "It's time for us to go. James's parents, um…Well, they also…."

Michelle caught her stumbling, glanced at James and seemed to understand what Lily was trying to say. She quickly walked over to James. Embracing him, she said, "Oh my dear! I didn't know! I am sorry to hear about that! What happened?"

James was slightly off-guard, but he recovered enough to say, "They caught a sickness. They passed on the same day as Mr. and Mrs. Evans."

Michelle laid a hand on his cheek. "Then you watch over Lily, and I'm sure she'll watch over you."

James smiled down at the woman, and embraced her again.

While this exchange was happening, Lily and Petunia were looking at each other.

"Well, 'bye, Tuney."

"Yes, well, I'm not sure when I'll see you again. I'm planning on living with Vernon, in Little Whinging."

"Again, congratulations."

Petunia shifted in her high heels, and wrung her hands. "Well, you better go. Wouldn't want you to miss anything else."

Lily smiled faintly and nodded.

Michelle took her hand, and walked her and James (whom she had by the other hand) out of the greenhouse.

Lily was forced to say more goodbyes, and give more hugs. Finally, they were all standing in the small foyer, with their coats on, ready to leave.

Lily seemed hesitant to go. James noticed this and whispered, "Lily? What's wrong?"

"Oh…nothing, I suppose. Just wondering if…" She glanced down the hallway into the main part of the house.

"Wondering if your sister will see you off?"

Lily smiled meekly. "Silly idea, right?"

They were still whispering, and though the others could probably hear, they were not letting on.

"No, I don't think it's a silly idea. But we do have to go."

She nodded and Sirius opened the front door.

The students left the house, and Lily was the one to close the door again.

They had just gotten onto the main sidewalk, when someone from behind called Lily's name.

Lily turned around quickly.

Standing there was Petunia, without a coat. Lily walked back to her sister who would not meet her eyes.

"Yes, Petunia?" asked Lily.

"I didn't, um... really say goodbye." Petunia looked down at her feet. "I know it was _your kind_ that did this; everyone else was told they just passed in their sleep, somehow." She paused, breathing heavier. "I am not forgiving you entirely for that, but… I suppose I can at least wish you well."

"And I, you," Lily responded. "Vernon seems like a nice man, you'll be happy."

Petunia finally looked up and scoffed, a faint smile on her face. "You've never liked Vernon. Don't pretend that you do."

Lily chuckled, and tried to clear the air. "No! I do, sort of, like him. He's… he's very ambitious and hard-working!"

Petunia was looking at her with a raised eyebrow, the same slightly amused smile on her face. "He is hard-working. I will be taken care of." She glanced at James, who was standing back a bit. "Your man looks decent enough."

It was Lily's turn to scoff. "Now you're the one pretending."

Petunia held her gaze. "Well…" was all she said.

"Ah," gave Lily simply. "Well, then, I guess this is the- well, the end." Lily glanced down at her feet. "Bye," was all she said, as she turned again.

As Lily walked off, she could hear Petunia returning up the drive. But, before they had gotten half the distance, they both turned to look back.

Their eyes met, and they walked briskly back to each other. The sisters embraced, tears making salty tracks down their cheeks that were burned with cold.

After a minute, Petunia and Lily broke apart, nodded once, and then turned and walked back to their friends.

And as they walked, not to turn back, they both whispered three small words at the same time.

"I love you."

Professor McGonagall met the Hogwarts students at their Floo point. The witch that owned the house would come with them, having known the Potters for a few years.

Roles reversed, and James spent a great deal of time by his own fireplace to greet everyone coming to the funeral. They shook his hand or kissed his cheek, and offered condolences. They nodded and were introduced to Sirius and Lily, both of whom stood just behind James. The others had been given leave to walk around the house. Josey, Nikeia and Alice were wide-eyed as soon as they stepped out of the fireplace.

Various Ministry officials showed up, and Dumbledore, too, came through the fireplace, stooping so his tall spangled hat did not become covered in ash.

Eventually, all visitors were asked to enter the garden, where the burial would take place. As they walked out the door into the garden behind the last person, Lily turned to James.

"James, I am sorry that I am acting so childish when you are going through the same thing as I am-"

James didn't let her finish. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I should be stronger, for myself and for you, but I can't!" She leaned into James's arms, crying, and he stroked her hair, whispering soothingly into her ear. She again let most of her weight fall onto James, and he gladly held her close.

The Potters' funeral was quiet, with a few people offering words of remembrance as they stood over the two marble-marked graves. They were buried in a small corner of the garden, among the daisies, for those were Samantha Potter's favorite flower. James watched, tears sliding slowly down his wind-blown cheeks.

The weather had remained cold, and James thought it fitting. The sun shouldn't shine to its fullest on a day of a funeral: wind and coldness should be sent to blow away the feelings of dread and anger. James felt that this somehow worked for after Dumbledore and McGonagall both spoke, James felt not quite as angry as he had before.

When everything was said and done, James placed a few daisies atop the graves, and turned away. Remus, Sirius, Lily and many other members of the Potters' circle of friends did the same with other flowers.

McGonagall came up to James, laid her hand on his shoulder, and spoke: "James, the Headmaster and I should get back to the school, but you can take as long as you want." She offered a kind smile as she squeezed his shoulder, and then turned and walked back into the big house. Dumbledore nodded to him, and followed McGonagall.

Lily came up to James and wrapped her arms around his waist. He rested his head on hers, and again held her up. This time, however, she was offering just as much support to him.

About two hours later, after the mourners had gone, and the two women who brought refreshments had cleaned up, Remus approached James and Lily, who had taken up seats on a wrap-around bench underneath a giant oak tree.

"Guys, we should get back to the school," Remus spoke softly. He offered his hands to James and Lily and pulled them to their feet.

They all appeared back in McGonagall's office a few minutes later, having Flooed from James's home fire.. They brushed themselves off before stepping onto her fine Oriental rug. McGonagall looked up and smiled as they left her room.

James's and Lily's common room became the destination for the group, and everyone collapsed into the armchairs or onto the soft carpet, watching the dancing flames; not talking, not speaking, just holding onto each other, never to let go.

**Author's Note: **Aunt Michelle is really original MNFF reader **GodivaLashes**. Thanks!


	19. Aftermath

**Chapter Nineteen - Aftermath**

For the following week, classes were the same as they normally were. Quiet, studious times with teachers talking—some monotonously, some jovially—while quills scratched away at parchment.

The main difference was that Lily was not herself.

She looked tired and solemn. Her hand rarely cut through the air and her essays were not quite up to the 'Evans standard'. They received A's and even P's. Her cauldron even exploded once in Potions. She was very quiet at dinner; not talking and hardly eating. She looked slightly unkempt, and James knew that she took shorter showers. She either went to bed earlier, doing her homework on her bed, or sat in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames, a blank expression on her otherwise pretty face.

James watched on as he did his own homework, which—for once—wasn't done the day before it was due.

His own mourning was still evident, but he felt that it was not quite as apparent as Lily's. He took what Josey had said to heart, and agreed with her fully. People who don't let go just end up missing out, and getting more things taken away. Like a little child who complained over a missing toy; they only lost more. Even now this theory was apparent. For Lily, she wasn't letting go of her parents, and her friends, grades, and ideals were starting to slip away.

James did spend a lot of time on the floor though. It was something that always seemed to calm him down. The solid feeling on the ground underneath him just made him feel secure. Sirius always found it funny, but after Remus glared at him, he would stop teasing James. And if anyone noticed that the place where James's head rested was slightly damp, no one mentioned it. He was entitled to a few tears.

He felt deep down that he was lucky, in a sense. His parents had died from an illness, not from being murdered by a fellow student. Not that he admitted it to himself more than once, and even after doing so he felt horrible, and shoved the thought aside.

All the other students, except the Slytherins, watched with pain and sadness as Lily walked into the Great Hall, when she did show up. Everyone had worried about her; how her grades had dropped, her spells, charms and potions were half-hearted, and her appearance was lacking its usual beauty.

The Slytherins reveled in her discomfort and melancholy.

All but Severus Snape.

At least, no one else knew why he wore a look of discomfort. They merely gave the diagnosis that he was sad that Evans hadn't been killed as well, 'the filthy Mudblood.'

Stacey Wilson had disappeared.

One thing that happened without Lily knowing was the maiden in the portrait that led to the hallway to the Gryffindor common room assigning a new password. Only, this password was for the Gryffindors that didn't necessarily belong in the separate dorm. Sirius had wheedled the maid into opening for him so many times that she finally gave up, and gave them their own password. She had, however, set the stipulation that only once James or Lily gave permission would she allow someone into the dormitory. James felt that if Lily had been truly aware of what was going on she would have been all right with this new set-up.

With their password on their lips, Josey and Nikeia visited Head's dormitory frequently, sitting with Lily beside the fireplace in silence. Alice sometimes joined them, when she wasn't with Frank. They usually brought their homework, having found Lily unsociable. They did attempt to talk, but were rebuffed.

The Marauders visited a few times over the week, but if they would begin to talk too loudly or get too excited, Lily would gather her things and walk to her bedroom. There she would remain for the rest of the night. Ironically, the four boys would quiet down after that, feeling bad at making Lily move away.

Finally, at the end of a week of Lily's odd and annoying behavior, James got fed up.

They were alone, sitting together at the desk in their common room, and Lily was staring blankly at her book. He noticed, and slammed his book on the table.

She hardly jumped.

So, he stood up, making sure that the chair tipped over and crashed against the stone floor.

She still didn't start.

James's frustration mounted.

"Lily," he said, firmly, his hands planted on the desk.

She didn't respond.

"Evans!" he shot, clearly and loudly.

She blinked this time, and started to glance at him, but stopped before her eyes had even left the page.

He exhaled sharply, dropping his head.

"Evans," he tried again, grabbing one end of her book and shutting it in front of her face.

This time she did look up at him.

"James?" she asked, softly.

"That took you long enough."

"What?"

He rolled his eyes. "It took me three times to get you to respond. We've switched places, Evans. I'm usually the one who doesn't listen."

"I was listening."

He snorted in laughter. "Yeah, and I'm Merlin."

She looked back down at the desktop. James sighed again, and knelt down beside her.

"Lily, I know you're still hurting, but you have to snap out of this. Please."

She didn't respond again.

He tried again, but she remained frozen.

So, he took drastic action.

He left her for a moment, and went into the bathroom. He turned on the tap, letting it fall into the large bathtub.

Going back out into the common room, he saw that Lily was still motionless. So, kneeling again, he grabbed her knees, and turned her in the chair to face him. She gave him a questioning look, but didn't react beyond that. He deftly undid the tie (which was sloppily knotted anyway) and then pulled off her shoes and socks. He noticed a gold bracelet on her wrist, which he undid, noticing it had "_With love from Mum and Dad_" on the back. The bracelet he placed on her book, and the socks, shoes, and tie he left in a pile under her chair.

"What are you doing?"

Without responding, he hoisted her over his shoulder. She murmured a few things, of which he really only understood "what" and "James".

He stepped back into the bathroom, and saw that the tub was nearly full.

Easily, he shifted Lily from his shoulder to his arms, and held her for a moment. She was still looking at him quizzically, but not enough that he felt his "drastic action" was unnecessary.

"I like it when you hold me," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.

He smiled faintly, and whispered, "I like holding you. But I also like talking to you, and, honestly, I like being yelled at by you. You haven't done either recently, and that worries me. I want my Lily back. If you get really angry with me for doing this, please… don't be."

And with that, he stepped forward, and dropped her into the tub of water.

He turned off the tap, and then remained bent over the head of the tub, watching the water beneath him. After a few seconds, Lily's red, wet head emerged from the top of the water. She shook it, and swiped the water from her eyes. She looked up to James, nearly completely dazed.

Then, her expression changed, and she half-groaned, half-shivered, and sank back under the water. James gave a weak smile, and knelt down beside the tub, resting his arms on the side.

Lily came up again, and repeated the process of getting water from her face.

"James…" she said.

"Welcome back."

She looked at him, a sick expression on her face.

"What have I done?"

"It's really more what haven't you done? And that would be a lot."

The quizzical expression she gave him this time was—he felt—more deserved, and he smiled back.

"Why don't you wash up, and we'll talk later?"

She continued to breathe slowly, but nodded. James kissed her on the forehead once, then stood and left the bathroom.

He was surprised to see Josey and Nikeia standing the far side of the fireplace, having just walked through the portrait hole.

"James… we heard a splash," commented Josey, slowing. James could tell that her body was tense.

"Yeah, what were you doing?" asked Nikeia, her eyes wide.

"Yes, you did hear a splash, because Lily just got tossed into a bath."

They stared at him.

"Why don't you go talk to her?" he asked. "I'll wait out here."

"That doesn't really answer the question," uttered Nikeia, also slowly.

"It's enough for me."

"But-" started Josey, before being cut off.

"Will you go see to Lily?" he asked, sounding slightly frustrated as he flopped onto the couch.

He waited, and sure enough he heard their feet walk across first the stone floor, and then the tile floor. Nikeia started talking to Lily first, and James didn't hear anything beyond "Lily!" after Josey closed the bathroom door.

He smirked once, closed his eyes, and waited.

"Lily? What's going on?" asked Nikeia.

Lily sighed, and rested her arms against the side of the tub.

"I've been out of it, haven't I?"

"Well, yeah, I guess you could say that," said Josey, taking a seat on the toilet.

Lily's brow furrowed and she moaned. She slipped back down under the water.

Nikeia began to chuckle. She sat down next to the tub, shaking her head slightly. After at least half a minute, she plunged her hand under the water and pulled Lily up. Her red hair was all over her face in what looked like thick spider webs. Her uniform was soaked, and Nikeia could only imagine how uncomfortable it was.

"So," she said, smiling down at her friend.

"So," Lily responded.

"So," Josey started. "You've been dumped by James Potter."

Nikeia flicked some water at Josey, but laughed. Lily, too, joined in.

"Yeah, I guess I have."

"He meant well, I suppose," said Nikeia, shrugging.

"Of course he did," responded Josey, somewhat sarcastically.

"No, he did," sighed Lily. "I'm sorry for being… well, however I was acting."

Both girls nodded to their friend.

"I think it's understandable," offered Josey. "Remember when my cousin died?"

Nikeia nodded, but Lily groaned. Her head thunked against the side of the tub.

"Oh, Josey," she moaned, still speaking at the water. "I completely forgot that you… that you went through this!"

Josey shrugged. "Again, it's understandable. I was pretty standoffish when Dan died. I don't remember talking all that much."

"But, I-"

"It's okay," urged Josey, reaching out to touch Lily's arm. "It's a lot to think about; a lot to deal with."

Lily nodded slowly, and took Josey's hand in hers. "Thank you."

Nikeia smiled at her two friends, then reached over to the small vanity to grab a small bottle. She poured some of the liquid—which was a bubble bath potion—into the water. Bubbles instantly started to form, and soon spread across the top of the water.

"Why don't you relax for a while?" she suggested. "We'll wait for you outside."

Lily gave another smile to her friends, and nodded. She began unbuttoning her soaking blouse as Nikeia and Josey left the washroom.

They sighed and smiled at each other, glad their friend was back. They both understood her lack of feeling, but had not enjoyed her lack of conversation. They looked forward to being able to talk with her again. They especially desired her help with a new essay.

**Author's Note: **Originally, this chapter was broken into two chapters. I put the originals chapters 19 and 20 together, eliminating a cliffhanger by creating a fuller chapter.


	20. In Which J & L Have a Conversation

**Chapter Twenty - In Which Lily and James Have a Conversation**

Back in the common room area, Josey took a seat in an armchair.

James's eyes were closed, and he appeared to be sleeping, his long form stretched out on the couch. Nikeia walked over, drawing her wand.

"What are you doing?" asked Josey.

"Paying him back."

"What?"

Nikeia whispered, "_Augamenti_," and held her wand over James's head. Water flew from the tip of her wand and covered his face.

He woke, spluttering and rising to a sitting position.

"What in Merlin's name was that for?" he cried, shaking his head.

Nikeia smiled, satisfied, and took a seat in the other armchair. Josey looked on with wide eyes.

Nikeia did not respond to James's question, so he turned to Josey. She just shrugged, though a smile was in the corners of her lips.

James wiped the last bit of water from his face, and glared at Nikeia. "I don't think that was quite fair."

"No, you're right," admitted Nikeia. "Fair would have been dumping you in the Black Lake."

James threw up his arms in frustration. "Oh, really? Well, just talking to her wasn't helping any; that-" he gestured to the washroom door- "was the only thing that I could think of that might work!"

Nikeia raised her eyebrow at him. "There must have been something else, James."

"Well, then why didn't you figure it out and do it?" James asked, still frustrated. Nikeia, again, didn't respond, though she did look a bit embarrassed.

James let the subject drop, knowing she really meant no harm, and lay back on the couch.

"Thank you," Nikeia muttered.

James opened his eyes again to look at her, and smiled with one side of his mouth.

The sat in silence for awhile, until finally Lily stepped from the bathroom. Her hair was curly from just being toweled dried, and her face had a just-scrubbed look to it. She was wearing a t-shirt and pajama pants, having walked to her room and gotten a change of clothes. She smiled self-consciously, and walked over to the desk. As she clasped the bracelet around her wrist, she rubbed in tenderly.

"When did they get that for you?" asked James.

"When I started here. It was their parting gift." Lily walked over to the couch and took a seat at James's feet. She pulled her legs up, and hugged them to her.

Nikeia got out of her chair, and stood behind Lily. She ran her fingers through the long red hair, then started braiding it.

"You haven't done that for a long time," muttered Lily, smiling.

"Well, we haven't shared rooms for a while," responded Nikeia, tugging the hair teasingly. Lily raised one hand, as if saying "Very true."

"I've often wondered what you girls do to spend time together," pondered James, closing his eyes again.

The girls giggled, and Josey said, "Talk about the Marauders, listen to Lily yell about 'that toerag Potter', argue over teachers, braid hair, discuss the latest fashions, listen to Lily complain about a group of guys, giggle a lot, have pillow fights, listen to Lily-"

"Complain about me," finished James, pretending to be exasperated. "I get the picture."

The girls laughed, and Lily nudged James's leg with her foot.

"At least I know that you couldn't stop thinking about me," he said, a smirk on his lips.

Lily kicked his leg this time, though she was smiling. He didn't open his eyes to look at her, but he, too, smiled.

"Yeah, we've had quite a few talks about you, James," chuckled Nikeia as she finished the braid and tied it off with a band that she had around her wrist.

"Keep talking about me; I like knowing that you do." His bald manner made them laugh again. Josey took the pillow from behind her and threw it at James's head.

He just put the pillow behind his head, still smirking.

Nikeia yawned, and reached over to embrace Lily from behind. "All right, I'm tired. Going to bed."

Josey also yawned, and stood. She, too, hugged Lily. Holding Lily's face between her small hands, she said, "It'll be all right, Lil. We're here for you."

Lily's eyes watered slightly, and she pulled both friends to her. They embraced again, eyes wet when they separated.

"Come see us tomorrow. We'll have a girl's night," called Nikeia as the two Gryffindors walked from the common room, waving over their shoulders.

When they had gone, James had opened his eyes and was looking at Lily.

She looked back at him, smiling faintly.

"While a cold bath wasn't exactly what I wanted—ever, really—it did help. Thanks, I guess."

James chuckled, and sat up. "It maybe was a bit over-much, but… What's the point of being a Marauder, right?"

Lily laughed, and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch around her shoulders. After a moment's pause, she asked, "What was your favorite prank?"

James seemed slightly taken aback at the odd question, but appeared to ponder the idea. "Let's see… favorite to do, or favorite reaction from a prank?"

Lily shrugged.

"They're very different things," James assured. "Dungbombs are always easy and fun, but they've gotten to be too easy. The water glass one always makes me laugh, though."

He was alluding to a prank that happened quite a few times a year, where the goblets at dinner suddenly shrank when lips touched them, therefore becoming too small for their contents. Juice or water spilled down the front of the students, and a few choice words usually followed this instance. After a few times of the prank happening, people learned to test their own goblets after they saw it happen to one person. When their goblet shrank, they filled it anyway and went on with their meal, as the goblets only shrank once.

Lily rolled her eyes. She had fallen prey to that prank a few times. "How did you do that, by the way?"

James winked at her, and said, "If I told you, I'd be giving away a Marauder secret."

"Then let me guess; you go into the kitchen, charm the house elves, and cast the spell right before dinner. It could only be a Shrinking Charm that has been modified to be activated by touch."

James's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "I already know you're smart; no need to show off."

Lily laughed, a slight bush coming onto her cheeks.

"But, yes, you're right," James admitted. "The house elves love having us in the kitchen. We don't really even have to charm them that much; they laugh right along with us when they find out what we want to do."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Most of them have great senses of humor."

"So, is that your favorite prank?"

James shook his head. "It's my favorite to do again and again, but I think the enchantment to the Slytherins ranks the best."

Lily made an expression that told James she begrudgingly agreed. "It was quite impressive."

"Took us quite a while to come with that one. Tried it small-scale on the professors last year, but we always planned to use it on the Slytherins."

"I see." She paused, and then asked, "What are you planning on doing after school? Where are you going to live?"

James sighed mightily. "I'm taking the required classes to become an Auror. Thought that would be a fun thing to do. Of course, professional Quidditch was an idea."

"Of course," sighed Lily.

"But… I didn't think I would enjoy playing Quidditch for a job. It seemed like it would take the fun out of it. Not all of it, of course, and I'll definitely continue to play, but…"

Lily nodded, understanding.

James answered her second question: "I could live at home. I got a letter from the manager of my parents' affairs. They left it to me, so it's mine."

"It was a gorgeous house. I didn't get to see all of it, but…"

"It is a nice manor. But, I don't know if I would actually want to live there. I think it would seem too big and empty with just me. Though-" here, he cast Lily a flirtatious look- "I could always invite someone to live with me…"

Lily just raised her eyebrow, though she was smiling faintly. "I'm sure Sirius would join you again."

"That's _not_ what I meant," he said, also smiling. "But, actually, Sirius is looking for his own apartment. His uncle has hinted that he would leave him money. Sirius hasn't gotten it yet, but he's sure his uncle will come through. Family tensions and all that."

Lily nodded slowly.

James noticed her confusion. "You know, Sirius becoming a Gryffindor when his whole family were Slytherins didn't sit well with them, of course. His uncle Alphard always liked him, I suppose. He was the first one to write, anyway, after Sirius ran away last summer." He was silent for a moment, then returned Lily's earlier nudge. "What about you?" He posed the question quietly, gently.

She looked down at her knees, her brow furrowing. "I'm not sure. Someone mentioned to me at the visitation that they were my parents' lawyer. They said that some money would be set aside for me from the sale of the house and the rest of the estate. I suppose I will have to work with that. I can't go home, since there's not really any home to go to."

"What are the other girls planning on doing?"

She shrugged again. "We haven't actually talked about it too much."

James nodded, then asked, "But what about a job?"

"Well, my classes are rather basic, so I could enter a few different fields." She shifted on the couch, looking slightly sheepish. "I have thought about being an Auror, too."

James nodded. "You'd make a nice one."

She smiled at him. "I guess, as far as the intelligent bit goes. But it can be violent at times, especially now."

"Don't worry; I'll protect you," James said, pinning her with a look that she admitted made her heart flutter. She smiled back, and chuckled giddily.

"Still, what with You-Know-Who around, it's a dangerous job."

James gave her a look. "You don't actually say that, do you?"

"Say what?"

"'You-Know-Who'?"

She looked embarrassed again. "I guess I don't usually. The girls say it, so I just I've picked it up from them."

"Well, don't say it. He's just a lunatic who doesn't deserve a special name," James opined fiercely, punching the couch cushion. "Especially after what he did to you."

Lily looked up sharply. "What? What are you talking about? What did he do to me?"

James froze, realizing that she had not yet heard his idea. He hesitated, stammered a few times, then got out: "I think it was Stacey that killed your parents."

"What?" she whispered, shocked.

"I think she was sent to your parents'. Some sore of initiation act to become a Death Eater. It wouldn't have been difficult for her to get the address, and she could have gotten out of the building somehow. There are passageways out to Hogsmeade."

Lily was silent, her eyes still showing her shock.

"The others don't agree with me, and neither does Dumbledore. I'm not asking for you to, but that's my opinion."

"She must've been around school this past week…" She paused. "Though, I haven't seen her, but I haven't seen much else…"

James was shaking his head. "She hasn't been in school. No one's really questioned it more than once. McGonagall didn't really know what to say when someone asked in Transfiguration. Snape has been a bit downcast, though."

Lily's eyes began to water, and she muttered, "I can't believe she'd do something like that though."

"I understand. I can't either. But… her desire for power and greatness…" His voice trailed off, denoting his amazement at the depth of her need. "Becoming a Death Eater was the first option she found. She took it."

She sighed again, but she lapsed into silence. They remained quiet for a few moments.

Then, James remembered a question he had wanted to ask, which was brought back to the front of his mind. "What was with your sister asking about someone else? In the garden at your house?"

Lily cast her mind back to the visitation.

James added: "You introduced all of us, and Petunia asked about another person. 'The one that…' was all she said."

Lily's brow relaxed slightly. "Oh, that person." She looked down at her knees again. "Well, there was a boy we met when we were younger. He knew I was a witch; he had watched us playing and saw me fly off the swing set a couple times. It was my favorite thing to do. Petunia didn't like him. I'm assuming it was because he came between us, in a sense." She started fiddling with the yarn of the blanket. "He, um, also attends Hogwarts-"

"Snape," James said, bluntly, looking hard at Lily.

She looked up, a slightly worried expression present in her eyebrows again. She nodded.

"You know we were good friends, once upon a time. We could talk about assignments, and discuss potion procedures. Then he started hanging out more and more with those Slytherins—Avery, Mulciber, all them…"

James sneered.

"I didn't like it, but he wouldn't change that much for me. So…" She sighed. "How much does he know about Remus?"

James shifted uncomfortably this time. "It was a joke we played once. It could've ended badly, but… Well, it didn't."

Lily continued to look at him.

He sighed, and realized he could tell her. "He tried following us one night. He was suspicious of where we went on the full moon nights. He saw Remus, but we managed to get him out before he got hurt. He's never liked us since."

"Because you saved his life?"

James nodded slowly.

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the faint crackling of the fire.

Finally, Lily murmured, "James?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

He looked at her, having closed his eyes again. "What?"

"For not being there for you the past week. You're going through the same thing, and I just sat there."

James sat up, and moved closer to her. He put his hands on her shoulders, and made her look at him.

"Lily, you did nothing wrong. You weren't being selfish. I think being quiet was the best way for both of us."

He moved his hands to her face, rubbing his thumb against her cheek. "I've got you now. That's what matters."

He closed the distance and gently kissed her lips. She responded softly, and pressed her forehead against his.

"Perhaps," James started slowly, "I'll have you for a while longer…"

She giggled, then kissed his nose.

"As strange as it is to say it, I think I'd like that."

He smiled broadly.

"Though, you will have to do certain things…" she intoned, slowly.

He pulled his forehead from hers, and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Studying."

He laughed once.

"As long as you help me."

She returned the laugh and smile. "I don't know if you _can_ be helped."

"Oh, shut up," he muttered, right before kissing her again.

**Author's Note: **This is a brand new chapter as of 2010/2011. I felt that I didn't have enough conversations between my characters, so I took the first opportunity I could to create one between James and Lily.


	21. A New Day

**Chapter Twenty-One - A New Day**

The next day, which was a Saturday, was a good day, and not just because they got to sleep in and eat breakfast whenever they wanted. No, it was because James and Lily entered the Great Hall smiling, hand-in-hand. The Slytherins, naturally, looked thoroughly disappointed that someone else was happy. Lily noticed that Snape, especially, looked downcast and had bags under his eyes. Then, remembering James's idea, she looked forward to the Gryffindor table. Stacey Wilson was not there.

Her steps faltered for a moment, and James seemed to understand.

"She's not there. I know."

He put a hand on her back, and continued walking. They reached their spot along the table, and took their seats. Lily had begun to smile at the sight of everyone else. They greeted her, and returned the grin.

"Hey, James!" called a voice from down the table. James turned his head sharply, looking for the voice. It was Sam's.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Um, I was wondering if I could help you with Quidditch?" he asked. (Monica, who was sitting across from him, rolled her eyes. Apparently, she had heard this speech before.) "I can't play, but I was thinking I could help out with strategies or something?" He spoke quickly, then looked up at James.

James was frozen in shock. "Quidditch?" he asked, his eyes wide. "Oh, blast! I have completely forgotten about it!" he cried, grabbing his head with his hands.

"There's a first," muttered Josey, "He forgot about Quidditch." Nikeia sniggered.

"I have to go and talk to McGonagall." James got up and rushed to the staff table, leaving a confused Sam behind.

"What was that all about?" he asked Remus.

"Well, Quidditch has for once been completely wiped from James's mind, what with what has happened. He's up there now, talking to McGonagall, to get the pitch reserved for practice for sometime during this week," Remus explained to the kid. Sam's mouth formed an 'o' and he nodded. Before he could ask another question, James returned smiling. He reached over and ruffled Sam's hair.

"Thanks, mate! I would've completely forgot about it had it not been for you!" remarked James, resuming his meal. Then he paused, and looked back. "Well, maybe not completely forgotten about it—I couldn't ever completely forget about Quidditch, but it might have taken me a while to remember."

After a bit, he turned back to Samuel. "I wasn't paying attention; what did you ask?"

"Can I help you and the team out with strategies or something like that? I can't play so I just want to help."

Josey covered her eyes because of the rather irresistible look on Sam's face. Nikeia covered her ears to stop from listening to Sam's adorable voice. Lily covered her mouth to keep her smile undercover. Monica rolled her eyes again, both at Sam and at the three seventh year girls.

James, not really affected by Sam's puppy look, chewed thoughtfully and then nodded. "Well, I don't see why not. We could use some help. I'll have to ask McGonagall, though. I can't promise anything."

Sam smiled a smile quite reminiscent of Potter's old smirks.

"That is not fair!" cried Monica.

"What's not fair?" asked Lily, taken aback at her fervent cry.

"That he used puppy eyes to get his way." She crossed her arms over her chest and her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "He's a boy! He should fight for it!"

"It really isn't quite fair," agreed Nikeia. "He could get anything with those eyes. We better watch out."

Sam was smirking at Nikeia's words, but the smirk left his face at her next statement.

"But I agree with you; he should face it like a man."

Through his laughter, James managed to speak. "Well, then Sam. I guess you have to earn it." He leaned down and said, in a voice that was supposed to be a whisper but wasn't very soft: "I've learned to listen to Gryffindor women. I tend to avoid getting slapped when I do."

Lily let out a rather unladylike bark of laughter. Nikeia and Josey joined in, and Alice winked at Sam.

"So," continued James, straightening. "How about we play a game of Quidditch? You and me against, say, Remus and Sirius? If we win, Sam's proved himself and he can help out the team. If we lose, then Sam can't help out. Is that fair?"

Josey, Nikeia and Monica looked at each other and thought it over. Then they nodded.

"What? Two seventh years against one first year and another seventh year?" said Lily, confused. She was also a small bit disapproving at the idea of such an uneven playing field talent-wise, especially when it came from the Captain of the Quidditch team.

"Why not?" asked James. "Remus is... well, not the best player, and Sirius is fair, so it evens out!" A piece of hash hit his cheek, and he recoiled. "Hey!" James glared at Remus as he wiped the hash away.

"I'll have you know that I am a fair Quidditch player, James!" said Remus, hiding a smile.

"Oh yeah? Well, then I guess you've got something to prove too!" James made no effort to hiding his beaming smile.

"Yeah, I guess so!" said Remus, with a sly smile.

Remus, James and Samuel stood from their seats, and started to walk out of the Great Hall to retrieve their brooms. But, as they started to walk, they noticed the forth member of the soon-to-be match was not with them.

"Sirius! Come on! We've got a match to play!" said James loudly.

"Not until _after_ I eat, thank you very much!" said Sirius between spoonfuls of porridge. The other three groaned, and James wasted no time in pulling Sirius off the seat and out of the Great Hall amid laughter from the other Gryffindors.

"Darn you, Prongs!" shouted Sirius as he walked down to the pitch. "That was _really_ good porridge you pulled me away from!"

"Oh shut it, Padfoot!" shouted James back, who was walking in front with Lily, smiling beside him. "You love Quidditch and you love me for suggesting a good ol' game of it!"

Sirius growled, but didn't say anything in rebuttal for it really was quite true. Nikeia, who was walking beside him, laughed and grabbed his hand.

"Do me a favor and push him off his broom," she said. Sirius vigorously nodded, and Nikeia managed to place a kiss on his cheek. After that, Sirius seemed to puff up, and he pranced—for lack of a better word—to the stadium, swinging his and Nikeia's clasped hands between them.

As they walked, Sam asked, "What's with your nicknames? Prongs and Padfoot?"

The two boys to whom the names belong faltered slightly in their steps.

"Oh, we just came up with them one day. You know, 'Padfoot' because Sirius has such big feet, and-"

"'Prongs' because his hair sticks up in the back," threw in Sirius, rather insulted. "And I do not have big feet. 'Padfoot' comes from my ability to step quietly and sneak up on people."

James barked in laughter, and shook his head, ceding the argument.

Sam was nodding slowly, as if debating whether to believe them. He didn't ask anything else though, and continued walking.

When the whole group, including Josey, Monica, Frank and Alice, reached the Quidditch pitch, all but the players went up into a stand to watch the game. Samuel borrowed one of the school brooms, and then flew up to one set of rings, having agreed that he would play Keeper first. Remus flew to the rings opposite him. Sirius and James remained on the ground, smirking at each other. Then James, reprising his normal position of Chaser, threw the Quaffle up into the air, and the game was started.

Sirius grabbed the Quaffle first and started racing toward Samuel, who had a hard and determined look on his young face as he flew back and forth between the posts. He watched Sirius's movements but just as Sirius was about to throw, James appeared suddenly and took the Quaffle from Sirius. He let out a cry of anger. James was laughing as he juggled the Quaffle back and forth. Bad move.

"James! Look out!" shouted someone from the stands, and before James could realize who it was, he no longer had the Quaffle. He turned fast and noticed his black-haired mate shooting off toward the other side. James smirked and followed along behind. But he didn't make to steal the Quaffle back; instead, he watched as Sam dived quickly to the side and blocked the Quaffle from entering one of the hoops. James gave a loud whoop and flew over to Sam.

"Well, you definitely have potential. Show me a few more of those, and I'll admit it'll be a shame you're not on the team. Now," he said, smiling at Sam, "give me that Quaffle and we will win this game!"

"Don't be cocky James!" shouted Sirius from a few feet above. "The last time you were you were stuck with a handprint on your face for quite awhile!"

James glared at him and soared off to Remus's side of the pitch. Sirius laughed and followed. Below them in the stands, Lily blushed.

And as the game continued, others out enjoying the crisp late October air, came over to the pitch and joined sides. And after an hour or two, there was a full game of Quidditch—minus the Bludgers. James even managed to _Accio_ a Snitch from inside the changing room. Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors flew and fought against a number of Slytherins. A number of people sat and watched the impromptu game, even a few teachers. Everyone laughed and shouted at the game, but it was nevertheless ended when the air became downright frigid.

"Well played, Sam!" shouted Lily as the young boy made a victory lap with the other Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Sam punched the air and flew back around to stick his tongue out at Monica. She shrieked and looked ready to throw something at him. Sam laughed and flew down to the floor of the pitch. Just as he was touching down, Sirius pushed James off of his broom. He went sprawling onto the grass. Nikeia laughed and whistled loudly to Sirius. He bowed and as soon as James got up, helped lifted Sam onto their shoulders.

"Well, apparently," started Monica through clenched teeth, "Sam's going to be helping out the team this coming season!" She crossed her arms again and walked away.

Lily and the others looked at each other and smirked. "There are times when I think they could make quite the couple one day."

"They do have a slightly Lily-and-James feel about their relationship," stated Frank, laughing.

Lily gave him a look, but laughed and they made their way off the pitch.

Inside, the Marauders and their friends gathered in the Head's common room for a few games of Exploding Snap. Peter was once more in the corner, reading the same book. At least he was near the end.

"So, Peter," started James, placing a card on the top of the pile of cards, with a look that said he was ready to duck behind Lily's armchair when the cards exploded. "How is that book? You've been reading it for quite some time. What is it even about?"

"Huh? Oh, um," stammered Peter, straightening in his chair and looking at James, "It's about the story of the Wizarding world. All about it; all the way through modern day. I mean, it speaks all about You-Know-Who."

"'You-Know-Who?'" James questioned, his teeth gritted slightly. "No, I don't know who."

Lily, who had already been told to not use the nickname, figured that this was quite a sore point for James.

"Lord V-V-Voldemort," Peter stammered the name as he shuddered.

"Why are you shuddering? It's just a name," said James, with a tiny bit of malice in his voice.

Seeming to understand him, or maybe it _knew_ who that 'Lord' was, the tower of cards blew up.

James fell backwards as everyone laughed. Everyone that is, except Sirius, who had been about to put another card atop the tower. He was flailing his hand and there was a bit of ash on his face.

"Oh, you poor thing," crooned Nikeia as she came over to his side. She grabbed his hand and kissed the burnt spot. Sirius flushed slightly and smiled. James rolled his eyes, and got up from his position on the floor. Nikeia took his chair, and resumed playing Exploding Snap. James sat against Lily's legs, and turned back to Peter.

"Anyway. It's just a name. A name belonging to a creature that shouldn't have the breath he does. And fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself. I won't allow any friend of mine to shudder at a name." There was such a quiet ferocity in James's voice that Peter huddled back against his chair. Lily ran her hand through James's hair, and he turned to look at her.

"I agree. No one should cringe at some stupid name," said Lily, looking away from James and turning her gaze onto the other people in the common room. "Peter, there should be no reason for your fright of his _name_. True, he is a terrible man, and can do terrible things, but you must be strong." Lily's voice seemed to sooth Peter, and he nodded in response to her words.

No more was spoken of Voldemort, or evil, for there was another loud explosion and Sirius yelped. His eyebrows were singed, and there was a bit more ash on his cheeks. Nikeia knelt down beside him, and started kissing every bit of his face that looked hurt. The other six people (not including Peter who was still engrossed in his book) looked at each other thoroughly amused. They forced back their laughs.

"Is there anywhere else?" asked Nikeia, one hand on each of Sirius's shoulders. He raised a finger to his lips, and, without hesitation Nikeia leaned forward and kissed his lips very quickly. She pulled away and smiled, as if she thought all she had kissed was his nose.

Then, she realized what she had just done. Her eyes widened and her smile dropped off her face, as did Sirius's.

And then, Sirius put a hand under her chin and pulled her closer. He kissed her and she didn't pull away; rather, she returned the gentle kiss.

When they finally did pull away, silence hung thick over the room.

Abruptly, for fear of suffocation, the others burst. In no time at all, James was rolling on the floor; Lily, Alice and Josey were holding pillows to their own faces, attempting to muffle the sound; and Frank and Remus were holding their sides, laughing unashamedly loud. Peter had started, dropping his book out of the armchair.

Nikeia and Sirius just looked at each other, before realizing the thunderous sound permeating the room. They blushed magnificently.

"Let's go... down to... dinner," cried James, amid his tears of laughter. Lily helped pull him to his feet, and they were the first out of the room. Laughing hysterically, Alice, Frank, Remus and Josey exited the room with arms slung over each other's shoulders to keep from falling. Peter, who had missed the whole thing, walked out, bewildered.

Sirius held Nikeia's gaze, before standing and pulling Nikeia up with him. They walked hand-in-hand to the door and, as they were about to walk out, Sirius leaned over and pressed his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. She smiled up at him when they separated, and followed the laughter of their friends to the Great Hall.

**Author's Note: **Hehehe. I like Exploding Snap. What 'bout you?

Also, I happen to love the serious/Sirius joke, so you'll see it a few times. If you don't like it, and considering a gross offence, I'm only a little bit sorry. ;D


	22. More Bad News

**Chapter Twenty-Two - More Bad News**

Over the next two weeks, the Marauders and the girls studied and did their homework (both at Lily's urging) and just had fun (that was Sirius's urging). James, before calling any true practice sessions, had to hold tryouts for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Their Beaters, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, had just graduated, so those were the two open positions. They were filled (after a rough day, according to James) by second-year twins, Luke and Melissa Cosi. As usually happens, they weren't as good as the former Beaters, but they definitely had potential. James knew this for he had a very large bruise on his shoulder from Melissa who—apparently—didn't like the way he shouted. Lily knew all about it as she was the one to transfigure a piece of parchment into a cold compress. James made sure she was the only one who knew anything about him getting hit by a second year. Though, as Lily had done her share of smacking five years ago, it wasn't necessarily a new sensation.

Nevertheless, apparently the practices went quite well, because James strutted into the common room whistling after them. He mentioned to Lily that he was very happy with his team; Joshua Spinnet and Antoine Wood were the other two Chasers, the Keeper was Cory Firion and the Seeker was Autumn Lai.

None of the players had minded the brief absence of Quidditch. In fact, they seemed to enjoy the days when they didn't have late night practice. They had, however, kept in shape with frequent mock-games. Everyone on the team knew what James had been going through, and did not begrudge their hard-working—and undoubtedly loud—Captain.

Josey woke up on the morning after Halloween (which had been the joy of several young men, especially Sirius) to the sunlight weaving its way through her draperies. After stretching her hands above her head and loosening her muscles for the day ahead, she laid there for a few moments, enjoying the sun on her face. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw that Nikeia and Alice's beds were empty, as was Stacey's—though hers had been empty for a while.

The blonde looked over at her watch and found that it was nearly nine. She pulled herself out of bed and maneuvered around the hodgepodge scattered on the floor. Dressing quickly in a pair of Muggle clothes, she woke up to her full extent. Josey ran down the stairs into the common room to find it nearly empty; she figured everyone was down at breakfast or around the building. She looked to her left and saw small white flakes floating down past the window. She sighed happily.

Then, she saw two people who normally wouldn't have been in the Gryffindor common room. Lily and James were leaning against the sides of the portrait hole with somber expressions across their faces.

"Hey, you guys!" greeted Josey and she skipped over to meet them. They turned their sad faces to her, and she stopped abruptly. "What's wrong? Where's everyone else?"

"In the hospital wing," offered Lily simply.

"Why? What happened?" A feeling of dread came over Josephine, and she gave an involuntary shudder.

"Someone was hurt last night," gave James in the same tone as Lily.

"Who? Sirius? Or Remus?"

James and Lily shook their heads.

"Who! Tell me please!" cried Josey.

"Nikeia," whispered Lily.

Josey's feeling of dread somehow gained the weight of large stone and rested atop her stomach as she stood there, taking in what Lily has said.

"What? Why? How?"

"I was patrolling the corridors—James had to be somewhere else—and about half way between the library and the common room," began Lily, "I found Nikeia. She was in a bad state, beat up and bleeding. After telling James about it this morning we can't tell you who did it, but I'll give you three guesses."

"Lily says she rushed over," started James, pulling Josey's stunned form to him and wrapping her in a hug, "and got Nikeia to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey did her best, and told Lily to go. So she did, and this morning, everyone else found out. They went to the Hospital Wing, though I don't know if they got in. We waited here for you." He pulled away just enough to see the shocked expression on Josephine's face. She was not quite crying, but there were tears on her eyelashes. She gave a shuddering breath and leaned forward against James's chest as Lily came up behind her and gave her a hug.

After minutes that trudged by, they walked out of the common room and made their way to the Hospital Wing. Sirius, Remus, Alice, and Frank weren't standing outside. On the contrary, the doors stood ajar and James could see the backs of people standing around a bed. Madam Pomfrey greeted them and grudgingly led them inside.

When they reached the bed, Josey gasped at the sight of Nikeia. Streaks of a purple paste ran in abundance across her face, and her arm was in a cast. Josey assumed the purple paste was a healing salve. Instead of wearing the normal hospital gown, Nikeia was wrapped in large gauze sheets around her chest and waist, with a shawl wrapped over her shoulders. A few blankets covered her. Her eyes were closed, and one of them was puffy and black. Sirius was holding her hand, and tears were glistening in the corner of his eyes. Alice had a hold of her other hand, and Frank stood behind Alice, a hand on her shoulder. Remus stood next to Sirius, looking down at his feet. Remus, Alice and Frank glanced briefly at the newcomers. James left the two girls at Nikeia's bedside and walked over to Madam Pomfrey's side.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Well, apart from the terrible cuts, she is completely unconscious. I've tried to wake her, but nothing I've done has worked too well. She also shows the effects of being tortured under the Cruciatus Curse and another curse which, I'm afraid to say, I am completely ignorant to. I am sorry I cannot be more of a help," admitted the nurse, a look of trepidation on her face, but James shook his head.

"She will wake up eventually, right? You'll be able to do something. With all of the stuff I and Sirius have got into you must know something," said James, with an attempt at a smile. It didn't work.

"I do not know, James. It is a pretty deep sleep, and I have little doubt that it is some sort of Dark magic."

James tensed, but nodded and walked back to Lily's side.

"One bad thing leaves, another comes. Why must life be like this?" he said, resting his forehead against hers and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I can only expect they're signs of the times. Voldemort's rising will change the world. It'll change our lives, I can tell. I just hope..." Lily's voice trailed off. She sighed and James squeezed her closer.

"Let's go for a walk," he suggested.

"James, it's freezing!" she exclaimed, looking into his hazel eyes.

"I'll keep you warm," he said, Potterishly. Lily gave a small smile, and nodded. They walked arm-in-arm back to the common room, where they retrieved their cloaks and other winter-wear.

The air was indeed frigid, and the breeze, no matter how faint, bit acutely and swirled the snow falling gently around them. Lily stayed as close to James as she could, and when they reached the edge of the lake, she turned to face him, and buried her face into his cloak collar.

"Oh Lily, don't be cold! Where you are cold?" Lily raised her head and pointed to her nose. James bent slightly to kiss her nose in a lingering peck. Lily gave a slight giggle, and when James pulled away, he noticed that her cheeks were pink. He lingered a bit longer and kissed her rosy cheeks. His kisses trailed across to one ear, and then to the other, Lily wriggling from the feeling. It was not a gesture she was used to. James just smiled and continued to kiss her ears. He pulled away to look into her green eyes, and she smiled. As she gazed into his eyes, her teeth started to chatter, and James chuckled.

"Oh, Lily! Don't chatter!" As he leaned to kiss her chin, he smiled. Lily obligingly titled her head upward so James would be able to kiss her cold, frozen chin without too much trouble. When he pulled away, her teeth continued to chatter softly, and James frowned. Then, figuring out the answer to her predicament, he pressed his lips to hers. She gently returned the gesture and moved her hands underneath James's cloak and around his back, where she pressed her body against his in an effort to remain as warm as she was now.

Alas, their embrace was cut short. A loud cough caused them to break apart and turn to face the water. Walking towards them, wearing a thick black cloak with the hood covering its face was a figure. When it was within ten paces, the thing stopped, and raised its head. An evil smile was plastered against its deathly pale features, but they were still human features; features that had grown sunken with a draining of the soul and the evil which secreted from this creature. Cold eyes stared out from amid the face. Those eyes... they were slightly red, not from being bloodshot or anything of the sort. They were red because of the evil which resided inside the body.

"James, you don't think it could be...?"

"Yes, Lily, I think it could..."

"How is that possible?" she whispered, furiously.

"I have no idea…"

"Well, well, well," said the man, in a voice that was raspy and sent chills up their spines. "If it isn't the Potter boy and the Evans Mudblood. I have heard much about you from... my helpers."

And to the dismay of Lily and James, three figures walked out from the shadows behind the man in black. "These are _some _of my Death Eaters, perhaps you have heard of them? Nevertheless, we are here for a single reason, which I know will be carried out shortly."

"Good, 'cause when you're done, you can leave forever!" said James, with fierceness that surprised even him. The man made a tsking noise with his tongue and shook his head, a smirk on his face.

"That's no way to treat a guest to your fine school. I was here once. As a student you see. Oh, what wonderful times. I was Head Boy. I was part of the 'Slug Club' too. Ah, yes, it got me _so _many hints about how to become the greatest."

"You're not the greatest!" said James, indignant and cold. "The greatest is Dumbledore, and while he is around, we are safe."

The man gave a chuckle the sent even more chills up the two students' spine. "Well, I hate to tell you this, but that old bat isn't here."

James looked slightly around him and gave a cheeky smile. "Oh well. I guess Lily and I will have to fight you ourselves. Nothing we're not used to."

Lily, who was still standing in James's embrace, threw a look up at him, her eyes wide. But he gave a reassuring smile, and she caught his emotions. As she turned back to the man in black, her cheeky smile left her face and she ducked to the ground as a jet of green light flew over her and James's head.

"Oh, you poor thing," sighed Lily, brushing off her robes as she stood up. "You can't even be patient enough to duel for a bit before attempting to kill us. How... tragic." James smiled at her side and nodded.

The sallow-skinned man scowled and shot another jet of light at them which they quite lazily deflected with their wands. They gave each other significant looks, and chuckled.

Lord Voldemort was here.

**Author's Note:** A summary of the past few weeks opens the chapter and thanks for a few original MNFF reviewers (who are members of the Quidditch team) are required: **JustMelissa**, **firetemper**, and **LilyEvans.**


	23. The Duel

**Chapter Twenty-Three - The Duel**

From under their masks, three figures looked out. They had been told by their master that they were to do nothing but surround the two insolent children and make sure they stayed where the Dark Lord wanted.

Lucius Malfoy chuckled maliciously as the Potter boy threw his head to the side from the force of the Dark Lord's spell. Instantly, a large gash appeared on his cheek, and soon after, another materialized on his left shoulder. Potter fell to the ground on his hands and knees. Another spectacular curse hit the brat and left him gasping for breath, his face riddled with pain.

The Mudblood received a large gash across her back as she turned to watch her boyfriend fall. Malfoy sneered in glee at her cry of pain. But, he sucked in his breath when he saw her straighten herself and throw a curse at his Master. The Dark Lord was caught off guard slightly, but deflected the curse easily. The Dark Lord's face twisted as he looked at the girl, and sent more hexes and curses at the Mudblood.

Lucius couldn't help himself; he admired the red-haired sprite. She was fiery and quite attractive. Even as he watched her during his latter years at school, he recognized her form and vivid eyes. He felt a strange, sickening disappointment that she was not on the side of evil. He knew he would've felt for her, and tried his best to get her into his trust. But alas, she was not, and therefore she must be destroyed. But, before he could watch her be destroyed, a stray spell hit his chest. The last thing he knew was a terribly sharp pain in his skull as he hit the frozen earth.

Bellatrix Lestrange had only one regret about the current duel: her dear cousin Sirius was not here to be crushed. She sniffed at the traitor's image. Tall, dark, handsome; he looked exactly like how a Death Eater should look. The attractiveness was a family trait, she admitted; she herself was tall and dark, with a fine womanly shape. Sirius also had a resolve about him that made him powerful. She only wished that he hadn't been so stupid and allowed himself to be caught up in what any of the silly little Mudblood-lovers thought.

She gave a triumphant laugh as the girl—who had done such a good job of remaining on her feet—was thrown to the ground in the few inches of snow. Bella took a moment to leer at the falling flakes. They were too pure, too white, and too clean. She raised her wand and sent a jet of heat to melt those that had the audacity to fall in front of her. Naturally, the effort was futile, but at least it destroyed some of the disgusting snow.

Through the slight steam, she watched as that Potter child pushed himself off the ground and turned to face her Dark Lord. Potter began sending off many curses at the Dark Lord, who was rather surprised at his recovery. Two of them hit his chest. The Dark Lord gave a great coughing laugh (the sound sent trickles of savage glee down to Bellatrix's toes) and threw the curse off. Potter seemed taken aback, but continued to fight with a stupid bravery that disgusted her.

And, just like Lucius, Bellatrix was soon thrown the ground by Potter's curse before she could enjoy the downfall of the little monster. She leered once more at the cold snow before losing her consciousness, only half aware of the affects of the curse.

Pushing his head back into his black cowl, Regulus Black looked at his brother's best friend. He admired Potter. Really, he had always admired the older boy. Potter's strong resolve and many talents made him jealous of the Potter boy. Regulus could see how some mistook Potter and Sirius—the stupid fool—as brothers. Dark hair, sharp but good looking features, and tall, strong frames were attributes of the Potter boy's and Regulus's family.

Regulus watched with mixed emotions as Potter was hit with a curse that looked an awful lot like the Imperius Curse, and yet he made no movement apart from letting his head be pushed to the side slightly from the impact, though the Dark Lord shouted his commands of "Bow!" and "Join us!"

Regulus's eyebrows rose: _That's impressive, _he thought; _Potter's throwing off the curse_. He himself had not been able to do that when the Dark Lord tried it out on him, nor had Lucius or Bellatrix.

He glanced over at his cousin and the man that would probably marry his other cousin. Lucius had been hit by a Stunning Spell, and Bellatrix from a curse he couldn't identify. All he knew was that Bella now had an interesting tint to her skin and tentacle like things were sprouting from her face and back.

He winced and turned back to the fight, as the girl's voice had now been added to the shouting. She and Potter were fighting side-by-side, and the young Death Eater had to admit that they looked good together. Their noses were red, and he could feel that his own nose was also red and cold.

Suddenly, the Dark Lord started to back up from the amount of spells that the two students were sending at him. Regulus was shocked at the retreat. Although he had ideas of interfering and helping his master, he knew he would be seriously punished if he did so.

For a split second, his thoughts turned inward and he wondered about what he was doing following such a man… A feeling of self-loathing come over him and it surprised him. He pushed it away. One day, maybe after he graduated, he would sit down and think. Think about many things, especially about the Dark Lord.

Thus, he stayed were he was and watched. But unfortunately, not for long. Suddenly, he was thrown into the air, and landed by the shore of the lake in a crumpled heap of pain. He groaned and in his peripheral vision, he saw the Dark Lord get hit with a curse. He went into a slight bow, holding his ribs. Regulus couldn't take the astonishment; his head hit the ground and as he lost his present mind, he dimly felt as his body went into a feeling not unlike an Apparition.

James shouted his last curse and, after watching Voldemort bow with the pain, he gave a great gasp and fell back into the snow on his hands and knees. Gathering as much strength as he could, he looked up and saw Voldemort flick his wand, do a quarter turn, and disappear with his Death Eaters. James rolled over onto his back in the snow and felt as Lily fell down at his side. She placed her head on his chest as sobs shook her body. James fought off the intense pain from Voldemort's last curse and raised his body so he could hold Lily close to him.

Minutes later their clothes were soaked. Lily stopped crying and brought herself to her feet. She reached down and with the last bit of strength she had, she pulled James up. He clung to her shoulders and that scared Lily. He wouldn't have put this much pressure on anyone unless he was hurt intensely. She bit back her own cry of pain and looked up into James's face.

"James, what is it?" she asked, bringing his arm over her shoulder.

"It's nothing," he said. He moved his arm down her back to give her some support, and Lily gave a shriek of protest. James stopped abruptly and leant against a nearby tree. He turned Lily around and cursed at the sight of a long gash across her back that was bleeding profusely. He pushed himself off the tree and started to walk quickly back up to the castle, his own gashes and pain nearly forgotten as he carried Lily in his arms.

They were in luck. As they entered the school through one of the many doorways, Dumbledore was walking toward them, his face as James had never seen it. There was anger, and fear, and a bit of hatred in his worn features. James didn't have to say anything, nor did Lily, but with two flicks of his wand, two hovering stretchers were conjured from the thin air, and Dumbledore ordered the two students onto them. They floated quickly up staircases and down empty corridors, as class was in session, until they reached the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey shrieked and Remus, Josey, Frank, Alice and Sirius shot up from the bedside of Nikeia. Madam Pomfrey had allowed them to stay, mostly because she knew they weren't going to move from Nikeia's side even if she had demanded.

"Oh dear Merlin! What ever happened?" cried Madam Pomfrey as Dumbledore levitated James and Lily onto two beds.

"I am not sure, but they need to be tended to quickly," said Dumbledore. "I suggest a Calming Draught and a sleeping potion. I must go; please send someone to tell me when they awake." Dumbledore turned to go, stopping as he passed Remus. "Mr. Lupin, I would like you to watch over your friends and make sure they don't badger Mr. Potter and Miss Evans when they come around. I would also like it if you all return to your classes soon," he added, addressing all five students. "You may visit your friends during lunch. It is your last year and it is imperative that you miss as little of your studies as possibly." With a nod of his head, Dumbledore strode from the room and closed the large door behind him.

Needless to say, Remus, Sirius, Frank, Alice and Josey took quite a while to be convinced to return to their classes. Finally Madam Pomfrey was able to usher them out of the room and into the throng of students leaving their first class.

During their argument, the nurse got Lily into a hospital gown and she was placed on the bed on her stomach, the back of the gown left open. Madam Pomfrey applied the same thick purple paste to Lily's back and James's shoulder as had been given to Nikeia. Lily sucked in her breath as the paste stung her back, and she gladly drank the sleeping potion Madam Pomfrey gave to her. The cut on James's cheek was gone easily with a movement of Madam Pomfrey's wand. Then, he drank the sleeping potion and almost instantly fell into a calm sleep.

Madam Pomfrey clucked her tongue as she walked back over to Nikeia. She removed the purple paste and gauze bandages. The deep, thick cuts that had been slashed into Nikeia's body weren't healing at the speed the nurse wanted them too, and she hoped they wouldn't take too much longer. She reapplied the paste and bandages and drew the blanket up to the shoulders of the unconscious girl.

She walked back to her office, shaking her head, wondering what everyone was getting in to.

**Author's Note: **Yes, I know it's pretty impossible that You-Know-Who gets onto school grounds, but… hey.

**Original A/N**: I just want to say _thank you_sooo much to everyone whose made this story just what I wanted; something that I never thought I would achieve. The final outcome of this story just amazes me. That I got this far—with a lot of help and love and encouragement—is amazing. So thanks again to everyone! ;D


	24. A Thirteen Inch Scar

**Chapter Twenty-Four - A Thirteen Inch Scar**

Lily awoke to a throbbing head and back. She tried to raise herself off the bed, but the pain that seared through her back caused her to fall with her face in her pillow. She heaved a slow sigh which echoed strangely around the nearly empty Hospital. It was dark, with only faint moonlight streaming in through the windows.

A light flashed on and, seconds later, the nurse of Hogwarts came bustling out of her quarters. She was still tying a long dressing robe of lavender silk around her rather thick frame when she made it to Lily's bed.

"Oh dear, don't move!" warned Madam Pomfrey needlessly to Lily. "Your back was hit with a Severing Charm. I applied an ointment to it to replenish the blood and close the wound." As she talked softly, she pulled the large cotton shift off of Lily's back and gathered it around her shoulders. With a cloth soaked in very warm water, she began to remove the ointment.

Lily jolted slightly at the feel of the hot water, and then when the distinct feel of the cloth was gone, she gasped at the feel of something warm trickling from the centre of her back. "Madam Pomfrey? What is it?" she asked in response to the elderly woman's gasp.

The nurse replaced the wet cloth over the long cut on Lily's back before removing herself from the bed. She rummaged around through the shelf next to the bed before she pulled out a purple paste-filled bottle. She opened this and Lily's nose was assaulted with a rather moldy smelling fume. She wiggled her nose to no avail and tensed herself waiting for the sting of the ointment on her back. She was right to do so. Madam Pomfrey seemed to be trying to be as gentle as she could as she dabbed the stuff on generously. Lily reiterated her question and the nurse answered this time.

"Well, what ever charm was used on you, it wasn't a normal Severing Charm. This is the first time I have redressed your cut and the wound opened again. I just hope that soon enough it will close, even if it leaves a faint scar."

"How bad would the scar be?" asked Lily.

"Well, you would have to take care of what style of robe you wore from then on; you would have to cover up a thirteen inch white line down your back," said Madam Pomfrey gently.

Lily gasped. She regretted it as sharp pinpricks of pain shot up and down her spine.

"Thirteen?"

"Yes my dear, thirteen inches," said Madam Pomfrey with a bit of humor in her voice. "Thankfully, you weren't hit with any other terrible curses, just that one. Mr. Potter," she continued, speaking slowly, "on the other hand, didn't get off so well. The effects of a very strong Imperious Curse were on him, though he seemed to have thrown it off. Also, another curse I am quite unsure of remains, which causes him much pain."

Lily snapped her eyes open at the mention of James and turned her head to look at the person in the bed next to her. James was also lying on his stomach, his black hair tousled against the pillowcase. His face, bare left shoulder and arm were facing Lily with the same sort of purple paste on them. Lily fought back tears as she watched his eyelids twitch slightly as if he was experiencing a bad nightmare.

She watched as Madam Pomfrey redressed James's own cut, with the same effect. Lily watched as the cut reopened and a drop of blood hit the floor. She winced as James jolted from the sting of the potion. He rubbed his head in the pillow and soon his eyes fluttered open. He gazed wearily at Madam Pomfrey, who sat on his bed, before saying groggily, "Who won the match?"

Lily was puzzled, but the nurse chuckled.

"Thinks he just woke up after a Quidditch injury," said the matron to Lily's wondering look. "Silly thing. He's spent so many times in this wing because of Quidditch that, really, what other excuse could there be?" She continued to redress the wound on his shoulder.

When she was sure they were set, she walked over to Nikeia's bed. "Now, James, keep facing Lily while I check on Miss Nikeia."

James was confused for a moment, but then remembered that Nikeia's chest and torso were covered in bandages. He did as he was told, but more so because he just wanted to look at Lily.

"How are you?" he asked gently.

She started to shrug, but thought better of it. She just raised an eyebrow. "If this cut doesn't heal the way Madam Pomfrey wants it to, then I'll have a scar thirteen inches long down my back." James winced and asked about himself. She told him what the nurse had told her.

"She doesn't know what type of curse hit me?" he asked. Lily shook her head as much as she could while lying on her stomach. Lily lifted her head carefully and asked Madam Pomfrey: "What is wrong with Nikeia? Is she any better?"

From over James's bare back, Lily could see the woman shake her head. "Her cuts are very bad, and I am pretty sure that the Cruciatus Curse that was used on her was merciless. She looks as if she is struggling very hard. I don't know when she will wake up."

All three were silent as Madam Pomfrey changed Nikeia's bandages, levitating her up from the bed in order to get the bandages around her back. When that was done, she came back over to between Lily and James and gave them each a dose of Dreamless Sleep potion. Painless and calm sleep came over them and they drifted into darkness.

She tossed and turned in her bed—even while staying perfectly still. Near death still. She could just barely feel her body; she felt nothing in her torso. Where was she? Was she still alive? She must be, for she didn't think this would be how death would feel. She wondered if she could wake up, but searing pain crossed the threshold of her mind, and she gave up on that idea. A whimper echoed its way over the small conscious part of her mind, but nothing escaped her lips. She tried to draw a deep breath, but the same pain slashed across and through her, and she slipped back into complete unconsciousness.

The next time James and Lily woke, they looked up into the faces of three their friends.

"Oh Lily!" cried Josey, as she clutched at Lily's hand from her spot kneeling on the floor.

"Good morning, you two," said Remus, smiling.

"Yeah, welcome back to the land of the living," Sirius greeted with an attempt at a humorous remark. It worked. The two bed-ridden students smiled. Sirius gave James a small slap on his uninjured shoulder and then walked over to Nikeia, where he sat in the bedside chair and turned his back on them all.

"Poor guy," muttered Josey. "He's broken up over Nikeia. I hope he can pull out of it soon." She turned her gaze back to Lily and commented on her cut. "Madam Pomfrey told us: thirteen inches? Let's hope it'll heal right; I _wouldn't_ be able to live with a cut that big on _my_ back. Try to imagine having to pass up so many good dresses because the back is cut too low."

Everyone chuckled at Josey's priorities, and she looked slightly offended. "It would be an absolutely terrible thing! Stop laughing!" Needless to say they didn't listen, and laughed harder. Josey sighed but reluctantly joined laughing.

"Oh," started Remus when he stopped laughing. "Dumbledore wants to talk to you two, and he told me to get him when you awoke. Do you feel like talking about what happened?" he asked kindly.

Lily and James looked at each other. Lily's eyes seemed to say "Well, sooner or later." James nodded their answer and Remus took off.

Fifteen minutes later, he returned following the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Ah, good afternoon James, Lily. How are you feeling?" asked Dumbledore kindly. His aged face seemed interested as he learned of the probable thirteen inch scar, and the terrible pain. When asked whether he could still feel the pain, James replied that he did hurt, but he felt well enough to talk. Dumbledore conjured a very comfortable chair for himself and two less-comfortable-looking chairs for the other two students. Before he gave the two Heads the go-ahead, he looked to Sirius. "Are you going to join us, Mr. Black?"

Sirius was silent for a moment, and then turned his hard hospital chair so he was able to glance easily at them. He nodded to the Headmaster, but kept his gaze on Nikeia's face and her hand in his.

"Very well, James, Lily, please..." He inclined his head and the two bed-ridden students looked at each other once more. James started the tale, Lily taking it up soon afterward. Dumbledore nodded throughout the tale, and Remus remained silent and attentive while Josey was the emotion of the group, gasping and clutching Lily's hand. Sirius's face remained stoic, though everyone could tell that he was paying very close attention.

"I wonder who the Death Eaters were," said Remus when the tale was over.

"I bet it was Malfoy, and the two Blacks. They were the worst when it came to the Dark Arts here at school. Maybe one of them was Snape," said Sirius quietly. Everyone repositioned themselves to look at him. "Snape always has his nose in a Dark Arts book, and my cousin Bellatrix is just as terrible. Regulus always was the special and loved one of the two of us, so it would make sense that he would be the one to follow the footsteps of evil."

James had to admit that he was surprised the Sirius had spoken so much. But then again, he knew that Sirius had a troubled childhood. Sirius had figured that he would be sorted into Slytherin like the rest of his pureblood family. Then he had met James on the platform, and the feeling that they would be very good friends one day was mutual. They were nearly inseparable after that, especially when they both became Gryffindors. Through their Marauding and pranking, they became as close as brothers, so James understood Sirius's mind nearly as well as Sirius himself. Of course, there were times when no one knew what Sirius was thinking.

"Now that I think about it, I think Sirius is right," said Lily, coming to Sirius's side, figuratively. "The builds seem right, and there was definitely a women who had a rather, well, cackling laugh. I can remember hearing it when something happened to one of us."

"Hmm," mumbled Dumbledore, "well, it troubles me greatly that Voldemort—and I commend you for fighting him so bravely and exceptionally—somehow made it onto the school grounds. He is a very great wizard, but the protections must've been tampered with for anyone to get through them."

"What about a shortcut? If one of the Death Eaters _was_ Regulus, then possibly he led them to one," Remus suggested.

James threw him a look from behind Dumbledore as if saying "You blimey idiot!" Remus seemed to understand for he bit his lip.

"Do you know of any such shortcuts, Remus? James? Sirius?" asked the Headmaster, looking to each young man as he said their name. The three looked at each other, before talking deep breaths and nodding.

Lily marveled at the way they seemed to be able to understand what the other was saying without speaking. She figured that seven years in each other's company must have something to do with it.

"We do know of a few. The most accessible ones would probably be either the one in the Shrieking Shack or the one in the cellar of Honeydukes," admitted James regretfully.

"Thank you for your honesty. I think it would be a good idea to place enchantments on these shortcuts so that Voldemort and his henchmen will be unable to enter the school or grounds again. I do admit that I know that there are secret passages, but I have yet to find all of them. I feel that that should be left to...well, you four," said Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye. "Once this is done, we shall lift these enchantments, I think, and forget about the shortcuts under them, hmm?"

He once again looked toward the boys and gave a slight smile. Everyone chuckled. James and Remus were glad that Dumbledore hadn't let anything slip about the real reason for the passage under the Whomping Willow.

"And now that you have spoken to me, I believe it will be a very good idea to allow Madam Pomfrey to see to your wounds. I hope that you are soon back in your classes and able to carry out your Head Duties." With an uncharacteristic, and yet _so_ characteristic, wave, Dumbledore left them.

"Blast. I was enjoying my Head Duty-free moments." James sighed and let his head fall back onto his pillow. Lily reached onto her table, or tried to.

"Josey, do me a favor and grab something from up there and hit James with it, please."

Josey did as she was told and grabbed a box of Beans, but by then James had buried his head under the pillow, laughing.

**Author's Note: **A comment from **Quiditch fan** (MNFF) prompted the original addition of Nikeia's paragraph. Thanks!


	25. The Passing Days

**Chapter Twenty-Five - The Passing Days**

"All right, you two," said Madam Pomfrey nearly a week later. James and Lily were sitting facing each other on their beds. "I know you haven't enjoyed being in here, but…"

"Really Madam Pomfrey," started James, "I think—for once—I preferred being in here than out there." He gestured to the door behind him. "There's no better place to be when in pain than in the hospital wing under such excellent care."

"Oh, James, you flatterer!" A slight blush rose in the matron's cheeks, showing that she appreciated it. "Well, I think you two can leave today—if you feel up for it?" They both nodded. "Good. I am sorry, Lily, that there will be a scar."

Lily's face fell slightly, and Madam Pomfrey started to pull her wand from her pocket. "You can use a Concealment charm—or a form of it… Would you like me to show it to you?" she asked, hopefully.

Lily shook her head. "No thanks, ma'am. It'll be fine. I can live with it; I'll bear it proudly."

"And James, you're feeling better? Not it so much pain? Good. I'm glad that horrible curse wore off." She sighed, and began bustling around the two beds, twitching the bedclothes. "You both will have to come back to me every day for a bit of potion and to get your bandages changed. Now, I'm sure your friends will be somewhere near." Her eyes twinkled as she turned and walked back to her office.

James and Lily rose off their beds, and James took her in his arms. After a few moments, he pulled away enough to see her face. He smiled and bent slightly to kiss her. Lily clung to him, weaving her fingers through his hair. As the kiss became deeper than any of their previous kisses, a loud shout sounded through the wing.

James and Lily broke apart, and Lily glared over James's shoulder. He chuckled and turned around, assuming who it was that had shouted. Sure enough, Sirius stood there, leaning against the door.

"Did you have to do that?" asked James.

"Of course." Sirius tried to smirk, but both Heads got the feeling that he wasn't putting his full self into it. "The others are outside in the courtyard." He walked into the wing and sat down next to Nikeia.

The nurse had decided that her cuts were cursed, and Nikeia tossed in her sleep if she didn't have any Dreamless Sleep potion. Her breathing was shallow and soft, and the bandages always faintly tinged red.

As James would discover in the following days, Sirius hardly left her side, except for the necessities: meals, lavatory, sleep, and classes. He even studied there; grabbed a few books from the library if he needed them and conjured a desk right next to Nikeia's still body. When the others came to visit during breaks, Sirius was quiet, and James admitted to himself that he felt irked.

"I'm really beginning to think that he definitely has feelings for her," whispered James. Lily nodded, and started walking with James's arm around her waist, toward the doors.

As they exited the large school for the first time in a week, Josey, Remus, Frank and Alice met them in the courtyard. Josey and Alice rushed forward and hugged Lily. Remus and Frank just clapped James's shoulder.

"Oh Lils! How are you? Does your back still hurt?" asked Josey.

"Yeah; it'll sting every once in a while."

"Is it really going to scar?"

"Yup. It already has. Madam Pomfrey offered to show me a charm to cover it up, but I said no."

"Are you crazy!" cried Josey.

"I guess I am. But Josey, honestly, I have more to care about than low-cut dresses." Lily squeezed Josey's arm before cuddling into James's embrace.

He kissed her hair as Josey looked shocked at Lily's words. She turned to Remus for help. He merely looked at her, a kind smile on his lips. Josey stared open-mouthed before she noticed Remus's struggle to fight the laughter. She shoved his shoulder, and he lost the battle. Bursting out in laughter, Remus fell into the snow. Everyone joined into the laughter, and not long after, Josey joined as well. Lily found this occasion almost like a déjà vu; the same conversation had occurred the day they woke up in the Hospital Wing. She shrugged it off, and turned to gaze at her friends. Three members of their group were gone—Sirius and Nikeia were both in the Hospital Wing, of course. And Peter… Peter was like a puzzle piece that didn't perfectly match, but filled the gap. He was off studying for some class or other.

Lily sighed happily. A warm chest at her back, comforting arms around her, and dear friends by her side; what more could she ask for? She, and everyone else, felt cool, calm, and collected; as if the past really was in the past.

Frank sighed and squeezed Alice closer. "Well, I have to say, that this has definitely been one of the weirder school years."

Everyone else gave a hesitant chuckle. It _had_ been a weird start of the year, and who knew what would happen during the rest of the year?

And yet, it seemed that after that was said, November passed quietly. Monday turned to Tuesday, Wednesday to Thursday, Friday to Saturday, and Sunday right back to Monday. The weeks went by, full of homework, studying and comfortable silence. Sirius was still not back with them, and it was really starting to affect James. He missed the person who had been beside him for so long. No pranks were played and laughter rang softer.

Everyone around them had heard about Nikeia. They only knew that she had been attacked Halloween night, but no one knew the real reason. People came up to the small group with words of comfort and apology, only to turn around and laugh with their friends. James admired them; they were able to keep moving despite the hurt girl in Madam Pomfrey's care. But then again, James reasoned with himself, Lily, Josey and Nikeia hadn't been the most popular people before they befriended the Marauders. Everybody seemed to miss Sirius more; the fun-loving, loud, young man of Gryffindor Tower. He was silent during classes and actually took notes. Professor McGonagall didn't know whether to be happy or absolutely shell-shocked. She was the latter the first few days, then overjoyed that he was paying closer attention. Not long after that, she started to have a rather worried look on her face that he was doing something so out of habit.

As James watched this all happening, he came to the conclusion that Sirius really did have strong feelings for Nikeia, maybe he even loved her. It was the only reasonable conclusion that James could make.

It worried him.

Sirius had never shown this much attention to a girl, and James hoped that their friendship wouldn't be tainted afterward.

As soon as he thought that, James hated himself. Here he was, with Lily at his side, and he had the audacity to think that Sirius shouldn't fall in love. When his mind reasoned that that wasn't what James had actually thought, he shouted back at it that it was close enough.

A little over a fortnight had passed from the attacks when Dumbledore stood up one night at dinner. He looked as old, wise, kind, and regal as ever in maroon robes with silver trim. The entire Great Hall was quieted nearly instantaneously, and Dumbledore began talking.

"In a bit less than a month, the Christmas Break will be upon us, and we will all have to say goodbye for a short while. During a staff meeting, your teachers and I have come to the conclusion that a ball of sorts should be held, in order to say goodbye to this year. After all, it never hurts to say goodbye to those things that have troubled you."

Here, the Marauders—Sirius included—Lily, Josey, Frank and Alice looked at each other with expressions that they all understood perfectly.

"I will ask our prefects and Heads to organize this festivity and give us a memorable way to end this year. We, the staff and I, have also planned a Hogsmeade weekend for you. It will be two days before the ball, and the day after will be a day of no classes—as a special Christmas treat for everyone. While you are in Hogsmeade, you may purchase anything you will need. I trust that our prefects and Heads can have the theme established before the week is out, so that you may know what to buy. Thank you, and goodnight." Dumbledore sat down and turned to Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, a ball!" cried Josey. "What a wonderful idea!"

Lily rolled her eyes at James and Remus.

"Of course you'd be the one to start gushing," teased Remus. Josey stuck her tongue out at the man, and continued to smile giddily.

"But, really! When was the last time Hogwarts has had a ball?" Without waiting for a response, Josey continued, "Oh! So exciting! Dancing and food and romance." She sighed, propping her head on her hands and staring off into space.

Lily smacked her own forehead lightly, letting her head rest on her palm. James chuckled.

"Why, my dear girl!" said a rather disembodied voice from behind Josey. She jumped, and turned.

Nearly Headless Nick—Sir Nicolas de Mimsy Porpington to the more educated and refined people—was standing (floating) behind the group. His theatre-like costume and large ruff labeled him a very old ghost.

"The last ball was only a decade ago! Professor Dumbledore had the sudden desire for a ball. I remember it wonderfully. The hall was decorated to such splendor, and the food…" He sighed longingly.

"What would you know about the food?" asked James, one hand in the air in a questioning gesture.

Nick glared at him. "Well, naturally I could not partake, but it looked divine."

He floated off, his head high in the air.

"Oh, James," sighed Lily.

"Well…"

"Just, don't say anything else," Lily instructed, holding up a hand.

"Fine. But, really. We might as well get this planning over with," he said to Lily and Remus. "Let's plan a meeting tomorrow night, or even tonight. The sooner, the better, I say."

"I agree. I think it should be tonight." Remus cast a meaningful glance up at the sky and the nearly full moon (which Lily pretended to ignore, as Remus still didn't know that she knew about the significance of the full moon for him). James caught on and nodded.

"Well then, why don't we go around and get everyone together now?" James rose from his spot, Lily and Remus doing the same.

After a few minutes, all the prefects were standing in front of James and Lily in the foyer. They all looked happy at the prospect, even the Slytherin prefects, who actually were quite respectable. Shocking; Lily knew.

"So any ideas about this dance?" asked Lily right before she realized that such an open question was not the best idea. She was right, as nearly everyone started talking at once. With a wave of her hands, she got them quiet again, and sighed. "Alright, first of all: should it be casual or formal?"

Hollie, a Hufflepuff, spoke up. "I think it should be formal. After all, it is the end of the year and Christmas!" Everyone else nodded.

"What type of formal wear? Muggle or wizard?" asked the Ravenclaw male sixth-year prefect, Patrick.

"I think they should be wizard wear," sniffed one of the Slytherins. The other Slytherin, Henry, nodded.

"You know, Bernadette, Muggle dresses are actually quite pretty," the female Ravenclaw said to the black-haired beauty. "They fit better, anyway, than plain wizard's robes."

The other girls nodded, and Bernadette seemed to be swayed. Lily figured that anything that would compliment Bernadette's tall, slim—but shapely—figure would suit her fine.

"What about a theme? Masquerade, colonial, French Revolution, Medieval…" asked Lily to the group.

"Huh?" asked James and the others mimicked his bafflement. Apparently, they had not been educated in Muggle history.

"I swear they should make a course in Muggle History," whispered Lily to herself.

"I think a medieval masquerade would be groovy," said the half-Muggle Holly. "I just love the gowns from that era. And plus, there was quite a lot of magic during those times." Everyone else nodded, understanding the term "medieval" from History of Magic, even if it did coincide with "witch-hunts".

"Wait, what about a general masquerade? Any type of costume?" asked Patrick.

"That's not a bad idea!" stated Kayla, the Gryffindor prefect. "That way we could choose any era we want, and it will be a bit more enjoyable."

"That'll work for me," stated MaryAnn, the Ravenclaw.

"All right, so we all agree on a masquerade with clothing from any era?" asked James, looking around. Everyone nodded, but Gerald, a Hufflepuff, spoke up.

"As long as there are no animal-costumes or ridiculous clothing. Maybe we should state that it should be clothing from before the nineteen-hundreds. But what about the masks? I know it is fun sometime, but..." He gave an expression that denoted he was less than thrilled about the idea of wearing a mask.

"I agree. Masks make it a bit cliché. I think most people will enjoy just wearing fancy clothing," admitted Bernadette. "Plus, they also are so hard to work around. I mean putting your hair up only to have to worry about a string, or if you put it on by magic, then you have to worry about your make-up smudging...or worse, not being seen."

Lily figured there _would_ be an ulterior motive.

"Yeah, no masks. Just costumes. But it shouldn't be called a costume party; keep the 'masquerade' title," said Remus, smiling.

"But," spoke Henry, the Slytherin prefect, "where are we going to find these clothes? There are only shops in Hogsmeade for normal wizard robes."

"Have none of you read the history of the Hogsmeade?" asked Lily, "It was written by the same person to write _Hogwarts, a History_ and came out last year." Everyone shook their heads and Lily gave a soft groan. "Well, there is a store that is rather out-of-the-way along the main road; it can actually become invisible at the owner's bidding. He can enchant the store to sell whatever he wants. So all we have to do is have McGonagall talk to him, and he'll change the shop to supply us with the right type of clothing for the masquerade."

Everyone looked a Lily in awe.

"Jeez, James, you sure know how to pick them," said Gerald. The other men nodded, and James smiled. Lily raised an eyebrow and James rolled his eyes.

"Lily, honey; it's true!" James looked at Lily with a 'you-can't-deny-it' type of look.

"Anyway, we can use that store," Lily said, after rolling her eyes at James and Gerald. "Does anyone have a roll of parchment and a quill? We should write all of this down for the teachers." Everyone, except James, shook their heads. They had all left their bags in their dormitories before coming down to dinner.

"Aren't any of you wizards?" asked James exasperatedly. He pulled three coins from his pocket and transfigured them to a sheaf of parchment, a quill and a pot of ink. The prefects looked sheepish.

"Jeez, Lily, you sure know how to pick them," said Kayla. Lily chuckled and started writing the requests for the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress. James smiled cockily at Kayla.

"Wait!" cried Remus. Lily looked up from the parchment. "Who's going to be invited? Just the normal third through seventh years?"

Lily looked thoughtful, as did the other prefects.

"I think it should be for everyone," said Patrick. "I mean, with You-Know-Who and everything that has been happening, we should include everyone."

"Yeah, I like that," put in Henry. "But maybe we could create a curfew. Like first and second years are allowed to be at the ball from six to nine, and everyone else can stay until twelve."

"Good job, Pat, Henry. That's a good idea. Do you think Dumbledore will agree to it?" asked James.

"I don't think it'll be too much of a problem for him." Lily started writing again. "Oh, what about a name? Though maybe we shouldn't go through the trouble; it's just going to be called 'the Masquerade' from now on, anyway."

All the prefects laughed, and agreed.

The next morning at breakfast Dumbledore told the school about the ball, and everyone was in an uproar. The first, second and third years seemed quite surprised, really, that they were going to be allowed to attend. A few even started jumping in the aisles in happiness. The upperclassman just laughed. After James stopped laughing, he turned to Lily and wrapped his arms around her waist possessively.

"So, my dear Lils, are you going to this ball... thing?" asked James, leaning in close to her ear. She wiggled slightly at the funny feeling of his gentle breath, and turned as much as she could.

"I was thinking about it."

"Well, do you know if you are going with someone yet?"

"Yes, I am. And I already know who it is." James's eyes widened for a moment, but then seeing the laughter in Lily's, he smiled and kissed her sweetly.

She pulled away. "Hold on. Who ever said it were you?"

James looked at Lily surprised, then recovered and smirked. "I say it's me because I wouldn't let you go with anyone else." He leaned forward again and captured Lily's lips in a kiss.

"Oi, get a room, will ya?" called out Sirius, throwing a balled-up napkin at the couple. Everyone but Sirius laughed as James and Lily continued to embrace. Sirius looked evilly at James and kicked him under the table. James pulled away and returned the look to Sirius. He returned the kick as well.

"Why don't you go and find someone to go to the ball with?" ordered James, more than asked, in an irritated voice. Sirius shrugged.

"Why should I?" he asked. "The only person I would have thought of going with is lying up in the hospital wing."

"Oh, Sirius, I'm sorry," apologized James, looking ashamed of himself. Sirius gave a shaky smile and shrugged again.

In an attempt to break the mood, Lily looked to Samuel. "So, Sam. Since you get to go, who are you going to ask?" Sam looked up at her as if she was wearing a pink feathered hat. Lily laughed at his dumbfounded reaction. "Haven't you thought about it?"

He swallowed his hash, then said, "I don't really care, really. It's just a ball. I'd rather just go alone."

"That's possible," Lily said, smiling at his matter-of-fact answer. "What about you, Monica?"

The girl was smiling happily as she turned from her other first year girlfriends. "I think we'll just go as a group."

"That'll be fun," chuckled Lily.

Before they could really say anything else, the morning post came. Though, really, not very many people paid attention to the swooping owls. Most everyone was too busy talking about the Masquerade.

Lily was one of those who actually read the _Daily Prophet_ delivered every morning. Lily opened her post and as her green eyes moved onto the next page, a look of shock came over her face.

"Oh Merlin," she whispered to the paper. James cut off his conversation to Sirius and looked over to Lily.

"What is it?" he asked. Wordlessly, she handed her paper to James. Remus read off the _Prophet_ from James's other side. Their expressions were identical as they read the paper.

"What _is_ it?" repeated Sirius, actually putting down his fork and knife, when Remus and James continued to look shocked. He reached over the table to grab the paper from James.

Soon, there were four identical expressions.

"_What in the world is it?_" asked Josey, getting fed up. She grabbed the paper and read it as well. She dropped her spoon into her oatmeal, and gasped. Peter took the paper next and nearly tipped over his glass of milk when he jerked in surprise at the article. Sam and Monica looked from one upperclassmen to the next, then to each other, and then to Frank and Alice who they were sitting between. The latter grabbed the newspaper from Peter and the other three looked over onto it.

It was a small article, taking up two square inches, but it was rather devastating.

_**Three wizards found dead**_

_Late last night, two Aurors came across three bodies in an alleyway, the Dark Mark floating above their bodies. One of the victims wore the Mark, and they all wore dark robes and masks. The Auror Department can only assume these are followers of He Who Must Not Be Named who went wrong on an order. Their identities are: Janis Mitite, 36, Harold Respore, 49, and Stacey Wilson, 17_.

"That wasn't that American who disappeared a while ago, was it?" asked the attentive Monica.

Everyone nodded, their faces identical; their mouths were slightly open, their eyes unbelieving.

"She became a Death Eater?" asked Samuel, aghast.

When everyone nodded dumbly again, he shook his head. "Well, that was a stupid move!"

**Author's Note: ****I_WiSh_I_WeRe_a_MaRaUdEr****,** **MeiQueen**, and **lily_n_jms r mnt 4 eachoter** are MNFF readers who were kind enough to offer some criticism during the early stages of the story. So, they're three of the prefects. Thanks, girls!


	26. Coming Out of It

**Chapter Twenty-Six - Coming Out of It**

"Wait, James. Let's go this way; I want to see Nikeia," said Lily as she and James made their way toward their dorms after dinner that Thursday night.

James nodded in agreement as he fell back into step beside Lily.

Suddenly, she sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"It's her birthday next week. She won't even realize it."

James put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

"And thinking about Nikeia gets me thinking about Slytherins. Thinking about Slytherins gets me thinking about Stacey. That poor, stupid girl," Lily muttered as they walked up a staircase.

"I know. It's surprising and terrible that she had to turn away. I wish she hadn't. She seemed like she would be a great new addition to the ranks of the Marauders." James chuckled and Lily punched his arm gently.

Before she could pull her arm back, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to his chest. "Ha, ha, ha!" he said menacingly, and each time he spoke his lips got a bit closer to hers until, with the last "ha", he kissed her. Lily responded quickly, leaning into his touch, her hand pinned to his chest by one of his own. She smiled when they broke apart, remembering how this time last year, she was determined to escape from the castle when Christmas came around and from "Potter", as she had always called him. Now, here she was, leaning against this Chaser's chest, and smiling as she kissed him.

Lily kept her hand in his as they resumed their walk. Doing another spontaneous thing, she chuckled.

"Now what?" asked James with mock exasperation.

"I was just thinking how in the world Stacey fell for Snape. And how he fell for her! Have you seen him lately? He's completely melancholy. He almost looks like an Inferius! Well, probably a little better than an Inferius, but he's not happy. I just can't imagine that they loved each other so much!" She shook her head as she spoke, before her nose wrinkled and she spat: "Ack!"

It was James's turn to chuckle and shake his head. "She must've seen something in him that caused her to love him. I can't believe it either, but I guess, in some ways you could compare their situation to ours."

Lily raised her eyebrow.

"A perfect girl-" Lily stammered at this high praise, but he spoke over her: "Or at least one who fell for the opposite of what everyone would've thought."

Lily looked somewhat appeased.

"That opposite being a man who is quite the troublemaker or rather hopeless-"

"You weren't hopeless!" interjected Lily.

"Oh shush! I am trying to making a comparison!" He acted offended and flustered. "Plus, I said 'troublemaker' referring to myself and 'hopeless' referring to Snape."

"Oh. Whoops." Lily chuckled sheepishly as James continued to look hurt and put his hand on his chest.

"Anyway. Somehow, for some reason, they fall in love. No one knows why! Not even the two lovers!"

"We know why!" said Lily. Her voice took on the quality of someone trying to explain something to someone who might not be able to understand. "You got down from your high horse, at least the one I always had seen you on, and I came down from my own charger and then we were able to see eye-to-eye."

"Well," said James, stopping and turning Lily to face him. James put his hand on top of her head and brought it towards him. It happened to stop right in front of the bridge of his nose. "Sort of."

Lily gave an annoyed scoff and reached out to pinch his side. He nearly doubled over, as that was his most ticklish spot. Lily had discovered that sometime over the past month and a half they had been together. She turned her back on James and walked away, smiling. James retaliated by quickly closing the distance and poking her in the same place. She let out a burst of laughter and turned quickly away from his hand. Unfortunately, she started to loose her balance, and if James hadn't reached out and pulled her once again to his chest; she would've fallen flat on her back. Taking the opportunity once again, James smirked, and that remained on his lips even as he kissed her.

A few minutes later, they walked hand-in-hand into the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey looked up from Nikeia's bedside and nearly screamed in joy. She rushed over, not noticing—or perhaps she did it on purpose—that she smacked Sirius's head with her elbow.

"Oh, thank Merlin you two are here!" she exclaimed as she stopped in front of them. She took a breath before continuing. "Potter, your friend here has really overstayed his time limit. I understand that he cares very deeply for her, but he shouldn't be dwelling on this so fiercely. Or at least _not_ in my presence and in the hospital. Can't you do something to get him out of here?" she asked, flapping her hands up and down to accentuate her meaning. She led them over to the occupied bed and Sirius, who was rubbing his forehead.

"Sirius, mate, you gotta get outta here," urged James, enunciation slipping in his annoyance at his friend. "Someone wise told me—when I was feeling sorry for myself—that you can't dwell on things that you feel are unfair. Just sitting here worryin' isn't helping 'er any."

Sirius visibly winced from the words and turned away from his friend's gaze. Lily had knelt down next to the bed opposite Sirius and watched as Madam Pomfrey put up a curtain in order to change the bandages around Nikeia's abdomen. On the other side of the curtain, James fiercely rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and then looked back to Sirius.

"Mate," he said with not small amount of ferocity and annoyance, "You have to get out of here! You can't keep yourself holed up in this room. When was the last time you were outside? When was the last time you touched the foot of snow lyin' on the ground? When was the last time you sat next to the fire with Moony, Wormtail and I and worked on a prank? When was that last time you got a g-" he stopped abruptly from saying "a girl in a closet" and quickly thought of something to amend his statement- "a gallon of butterbeer, eh?" James was now staring into Sirius's closed face, having walked around Sirius's chair to face his best friend. "You're only going to hurt yourself by sittin' around here doing absolutely nothing but worrying. I don't think Nikeia'd want that."

Sirius briefly glanced up into James's eyes, his own full of hurt and a bit of recognition at James's words. Sirius turned back to the curtain, which vanished at that moment to reveal Madam Pomfrey and Lily on the far side of the bed, and Nikeia lying with the blanket drawn over her to keep her warm. Sirius focused once more on Nikeia's form. James groaned and whipped out his wand.

Lily's cried: "James, no!"

James hesitated, looking sharply at his girl. Lily came over to Sirius's side of the bed. She again knelt, this time before Sirius.

"Black? Sirius, please look at me."

Sirius reluctantly turned from Nikeia and focused on the redhead.

"Sitting here day-in-day-out… is a beautiful and romantic idea, but you're hurting yourself. Come away with us. Why don't we go for a walk? Please? It's nice and cold outside; we can start a snowball fight with James."

Sirius's lips quirked just a bit. James made an "Oh, really?" sound, which Lily ignored.

"Come on. Let's get out of here. Madam Pomfrey will let us know of anything different, won't you?" Lily looked over at the matron, who was gently adjusting the covers over Nikeia.

"Yes, of course."

Lily looked back at Sirius, who had refocused on Nikeia. Lily gently placed the back of her fingers to Sirius's face, turning it to look at her. She stroked his handsome face once, smiling at him.

"Come on…"

Sirius nodded, and stood with Lily. She looped her arm through his, and led him from the room. James pocketed his wand with a sigh, and took up position on Sirius's other side.

They walked quietly, as Lily took the stairs down to the Great Hall. She led them to and through the large front doors, gasping at the feeling of the cold winter air.

Sirius, too, breathed in sharply, closing his eyes and standing still for a moment.

James called his name gently.

Sirius head turned slightly.

"You really like her, don't you?"

Sirius opened his eyes now, glancing over at his friend. "There's… something. We were able to talk and joke around with each other. I've never had that with another girl. It just… felt right to talk with her." He looked back down at his feet, covering his eyes with his hand.

Lily was smiling, but Sirius couldn't see. The reason for this was that James had tiptoed to a pile of snow, and quickly made a snowball.

"I guess I just missed her so much that I couldn't think of anything to do but sit there with her. Stupid, huh?" He glanced over at Lily, who smiled warmly.

"No, I think it's a great thing for a friend to do. I think the foolish thing was to forget that you had other friends who cared just as much. And, no, we're not as funny as Nikeia, but we have our moments, Josey and I. We would've loved to talk."

Sirius's face took a pained expression. "I'm sorry. I should've realized that."

"There's still plenty of time, Sirius, of course." She reached out a hand to him, which he took with a tired smile.

Suddenly, his eyes flew open as snow hit his shoulder, ricocheting into his ear and hair.

He spun around, cursing once. "What the devil was that for?"

James smirked. "Feel better?"

"What?" Sirius shot, mussing up his hair to get the snow from it.

"I figured hitting you with a snowball would be payback enough for being stupid to Lily and Josey."

Sirius threw him a half-confused, half-angry look.

"Thanks, James, but I prefer to even my own scores," said Lily, humor in her voice.

When Sirius turned to look at her, she threw her own snowball. It hit his forehead.

He reeled backwards, then began to laugh, even through his harmless curses.

A snowball fight was started, just as Lily said. Granted, James started it and Lily continued it, but Sirius finished it by throwing two snowballs at the same time, getting both Head students. He was smiling broadly, the old Sirius clear on his windblown features.

They fell into step with one another, laughing strongly, as they took the steps back into the school.

They were just passing the Great Hall, when Lily stopped.

"What about some butterbeer?"

"Huh?" said both men, looking back at her.

"You mentioned something about getting a gallon of butterbeer. Do they have some in the kitchens?"

The boys looked at each other rather guiltily.

"Well… not exactly," James gave, avoiding her eye.

"Then where has it come from? You always brought some to the celebrations in the Tower." She looked back and forth between the boys as her eyes widened. "Potter? Black? Do you sneak out of the school?"

"Well… technically…" started James.

"Potter…" said Lily, warningly.

"We, um…" began Sirius.

"Black…" Lily said, just as much warning in her voice. "Does this have anything to do with that map?"

Sirius's eyes grew wide.

"Oh, yeah… Padfoot, she knows about the map…" muttered James.

"What?" He glanced back and forth between the two people. "How?"

"I found it when we were doing detention in Filch's office."

"And you didn't nick it back? Are you barking mad?"

"Evans made me put it back."

Sirius turned on Lily. She gazed back unfazed as Sirius started to stumble over his words.

She talked over his stammering. "I said that if he left the map in the office, perhaps someone else would be able to find it and use it for their own good someday. Ilk, more likely. It could aid a future troublemaker."

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but froze. He stepped back. "That's… really brilliant."

Lily smiled and dropped into a curtsey. "I do have my moments."

"Unfortunately, they're quite frequent," muttered James.

Lily ignored him, and continued, "Just like I think butterbeer is a brilliant idea."

"You still want butterbeer even though it means leaving the school?" asked James.

"Well, technically," repeated Sirius, picking up where James left off. "The shortcut is inside the school, and never comes above ground, so we could say it is still inside Hogwarts."

"Except that it ends up inside Honeydukes," rebutted James, looking at Sirius.

"There's a passage to Honeydukes? How?"

"We don't know where it came from," admitted Sirius. "But it's there. Right into the cellar."

Lily nodded slowly. "Well…" she said, drawing out the word.

Both young men looked at her.

"Let's get some butterbeer and take it back to the common room. We'll sit by the fire and relax."

They continued to look at her, amazed that she was suggesting such a scheme. Drinking butterbeer that didn't belong in Hogwarts wasn't the baffling part; it was her willingness to leave the school and get some.

Sirius reiterated all this, astounded.

She was unfazed.

"Well, then let Sirius and I go alone," suggested James. "I don't want you getting in trouble."

Lily scoffed. "Potter, my dear. If I'm still here in school, I'd be under obligation to alert a professor to your leaving. You've no choice but to bring me with you." She was smirking.

James's eyes narrowed. Then he crooked a finger at her, saying, "Come here to me."

She slowly stepped forward, her lips still quirked.

When she was near enough to him, he leaned forward and kissed her. "You're amazing."

Sirius rolled his eyes, though his exhale denoted his amusement. "Instead of standing around here, let's go."

James took Lily's hand and led her off. He was smiling contentedly—though Sirius would say it was a sappy smile that was plastered on his face. He sighed, but followed the couple.

Inside James and Lily's dormitory, the Marauders, Frank, Alice, the Head Girl and Josey sat in front of and around the fire, each sipping on a bottle of butterbeer.

No one really asked where it came from; they never had in the past, and weren't going to start now.

The three students had made their way to the old witch. Lily was allowed to say the password, and thus was first to slide down to the underground tunnel. At the trapdoor, James and Sirius urged Lily to remain in the tunnel. They would sneak into the Three Broomsticks and grab the butterbeer. Lily attempted to protest, but James brought up the argument about her not leaving Hogwarts again, and she subsided. She did force them to leave a few galleons on the bar, though. Sirius tried to make an argument against this—Madam Rosmerta wouldn't understand what the money was for as she probably wouldn't notice even the missing drinks—but Lily overruled him on pain of detention. He walked up the stairs with the money muttering, "Low blow, Evans. Low blow."

Nevertheless, Lily enjoyed her not-quite-technically illegal jaunt through the secret passageway.

And now, everyone was together again in the Head's common room next to the fireplace. Unfortunately, Sirius seemed to have relapsed into a melancholy state. He drained the last of the drink, and sat still for a moment, looking into the fire. Suddenly, he moved and buried his face in one of the pillows off the armchair. He let out a strangled sort of groan before rising from his seat to go and kick the wall. This only caused his foot to start hurting, and Sirius started jumping around the room.

"Sirius!" laughed Josey, "You look ridiculous. Stop!"

He stopped jumping very abruptly and lost his balance. He consequently fell right onto the couch, sprawling across Josey, Lily and James, with his head in Josey's lap and his stocking feet in James's face. Everyone laughed, including Sirius.

"Why was I so incredibly stupid?" asked Sirius again, reclining atop three of his friends. "I knew that if I'd let what _had_ happened to me _happen_, I would've ended up just like Lily!" Lily glared down at Sirius and jabbed his side. As he continued to talk, he rubbed his ribs with one hand while the other covered his face. "I knew that I would just lose it, but I let that happen to me anyway! I was so-"

"Sirius!" said Lily, pulling his arm from across his forehead so she could look into his eyes. "You weren't being stupid! You were being human! You were in pain and sadness, so the only thing you knew to do at a time like that was to hang your head and cry."

"All that coming from the girl off whom Sirius copied..." muttered James, earning himself a smack from Remus.

"That just means that I can understand what he is going through better than you can, Potter!" explained Lily angrily. James relented.

"But still, Lils-" started Sirius.

"Black!" Lily's eyes were the emerald fires that James had grown accustomed to seeing when she refused to go out with him. Everyone seemed to back up a few inches. "We've been over this. Just shut up and stop feeling sorry for yourself! Nikeia's not dead and I don't think she will be. She's strong, and Madam Pomfrey is a great nurse. If you were in Nikeia's position right now, I know that you wouldn't want her to be crying over you! You would want her to take your place making up pranks, for Merlin's sake!"

Sirius chuckled sheepishly and nodded.

"Great. Now get off of me before you make me give you something you really aren't going to like!"

Sirius put his arms behind his head and looked at her with an expression as if saying, 'And what would that be?'

A face-full of carpet and the makings of a bruise was the answer.

"You know, Evans, you really can be quite the evil little red-head!"

**Author's Note: **So, if any of you are original readers and you are rereading this, you'll notice that Sirius didn't get the same treatment as Lily. I decided to change that because… well, just because. It seemed too… something… for Sirius. Actually, it kinda seemed like a dunking would be more appropriate for Sirius than for Lily, but… I just decided to change it.


	27. This November Day

**Chapter Twenty-Seven – This November Day**

As Lily sat on the table in the common room, she looked out of the window, smiling in perfect relaxation.

Over the night, more snow had fallen, covering the already white ground in another few inches of highland snow. The mid-afternoon sun cast long shadows across the ground and through the Forbidden Forest trees, making the slow glisten. The trees were bare, except for the occasional conifer amid the brown expanse. A sheet of ice spread across the lake, and a brave couple were walking across it.

Lily tilted her head, and narrowed her eyes. As she looked closer, she saw that she recognized the two figures on the ice. Alice's petite figure and the red and gold scarf that was wrapped around her head gave her away, while Frank's curly brown hair and black wool pea-coat told Lily that that was him. She chuckled as Alice—who was not all too steady on the ice—slid past Frank. He reached out and grabbed her arm. She spun around and fell against his chest, causing him to fall against the ice. Lily winced and shook her head, as Alice seemed to laugh before Frank leaned up and kissed her soundly on her lips.

It was all so peaceful and normal; it made Lily almost believe that the world outside of Hogwarts was good. She knew she would be fooling herself in the biggest way if she believed that. Over the past few days more reports of murders and attacks came into the school, all done by those Death Eaters. Lily shuddered as she remembered Stacey.

_No! I won't think about her! I'll think about-_

"James!" Lily cried out as arms slipped around her waist suddenly.

James laughed his rich laugh in her ear, and pressed his lips to her neck. She squirmed and tried to get him to stop. Surprisingly, he did; he started to kiss her ear. That really got her squirming. She spun around on the table to face James, and he pulled her closer to him.

"Do you really have to do that?" asked Lily, looking into James's hazel eyes.

"Of course," replied James, "as I am your boyfriend. I-"

Suddenly, he froze and cocked his head to the side.

"I… am your boyfriend, right? We've never actually clarified the whole relationship."

Lily chuckled, biting her lip. "You _haven't_ actually asked me… You just assumed."

James smirked, but said: "Well then, Miss Evans. Could you be my girlfriend, please?"

It was Lily's turn to smirk. "I could."

James raised an eyebrow, slightly stunned. Then, his face switched to a look of sarcastic frustration, as if he understood just what she had done.

"Very well. _Would_ you please do me the great honor of being my girlfriend?"

Lily giggled, and responded, "Oh, James! I'm surprised you had to ask."

James gently shoved her shoulder, but laughed along.

"Anyway—I am a Marauder, so therefore I should take delight in making people squirm. Though you do your own fair share of that."

He laughed and gently pinched her side. Lily jolted, and glared.

Then, her gaze softened and she tilted her head. She leaned forward and kissed James's lightly freckled nose. Lily loved that about his face the most. Though his gentle splash of freckles was not very dark, they were still visible if one looked very close. This was something that Lily had the pleasure of doing quite frequently this year.

She pecked his cheekbone as he kissed her jaw. Then, he pulled away and looked at their joined hands, lying in Lily's lap.

Lily asked what was wrong.

"Well… do you… Would you say we're in love?" he asked, looking up at her with a furrowed brow.

It was her turn to look down at their hands, a blush rising in her face. The thought had come to her before, but for some reason she had always pushed it aside. She thought about it now, in depth. James merely watched her think, no doubt thinking himself.

Lily felt thrills every time he held her hand, and she liked the idea of only ever kissing James. She loved that he really was a thoughtful person, and she loved his sense of humor; it had just taken her six years to see that. She loved the way other people loved him, and she loved that he had never given up on her.

She leaned over and lingeringly kissed his cheek. "I'm not sure what love truly feels like," she whispered softly, "But I love what we have."

James wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. She returned the hug, smiling blissfully.

Then, taking a sudden rush of pranking upon her, she pulled back and kissed his ear, making sure to make it as wet as she could. Somehow, she has discovered that he really hated that.

James let go of Lily in order to wipe off his ear as he gave disgusted sounds. Lily jumped off the table and ran. She shouted the password to the Gryffindor common room before she had even reached the hallway. She was surprised the painting understood her, she was laughing so hard.

The occupant of the painting smiled as she swung forward. "You dear lovers! Always trying to out-do one another!"

"Oh hush up, you!" shouted James as he ran toward her. Being the devilish portrait that she was, she quickly swung shut, and James skidded to an abrupt halt. "Oi! _Gi__llyweed_!" he shouted.

The woman smirked and shook her head. "You, my dear, darling delinquent should diligently fall under a deluge of efforts to discover some dandy manners!"

James groaned and clenched his fists. "You're letting her get away!"

She merely fixed him with smiling eyes.

So, he took a deep breath. "Fine! _Gillyweed_, my dear, dazzling, debonair, divine, delightful, dashing, portrait! Please detach from the wall so that I may dash down the dire hallway and chase my beloved!" He sighed. "Was that enough d's for you?" He added as an afterthought.

The "dear, dazzling, debonair, delightful, dashing portrait" gave a tinkling laugh and swung backwards. As soon as she was open enough for James to slip through, he did. He ran quickly down the hall and ran into the entrance way to the Gryffindor common room.

Most of the students were down in the Great Hall eating lunch, or outside in the crisp winter air. The sun shone in the sky, allowing for a beautiful day. It also helped that there was no wind.

Josey and Remus were sitting on the floor, with their backs to the fireplaces, working on something-or-other; probably a Herbology essay. They watched the spectacle of James and Lily with smiles on their faces for a few moments, before returning to the parchment.

James finally spotted Lily hiding behind Sirius's chair. He walked over to the chair and smiled down at Lily. She sheepishly looked up.

"Next time you try to hide, Lils, perhaps you should do something about your hair. It's quite a give-away," said James, that Marauder Smirk on his lips.

Lily sat back on her heels biting the inside of her cheek. Then she giggled, before extending a hand. James pulled her up, then led her to the couch, onto which he flopped down. Lily went to sit on the floor, but James swiftly pulled her onto the couch with him. She smiled and leaned back against her boyfriend.

"You, two," said Sirius, shaking his head, "are so… sappy. I don't think I've ever seen anyone more… in love."

"You know Sirius; that sounded completely uncharacteristic for you. Are you feeling all right?" asked Remus, looking up from his essay.

"I'm Sirius; do I have a characteristic way to act?" he asked, spreading out his hands in front of him.

Remus and Josey looked at each other, then to Sirius, and nodded. Sirius narrowed his eyes, but chuckled.

"And anyway, I think you're wrong," said Lily as she conjured a blanket to cover herself and James.

"About what?" asked Sirius.

"About James and I being the couple that acts most in love." She cast James a meaningful look, knowing he understood what she was feeling. He smiled gently back at her.

"What? Are you saying you doubt that you two act completely ridiculous?" asked Sirius, awed. "You two chase each other through the common room, snuggle on the couch, and do I don't know what else! I don't think I _want_ to know what else."

"But we don't go on late-night walks around the lake-"

"Not that it's not a good idea," interjected James.

"Or stare constantly into each other's eyes at meals," continued Lily, ignoring James's interruption.

James merely barked in laughter at that statement.

She threw him a look, then continued, "And we don't float down the hallways instead of walk."

Sirius was looking at her with raised eyebrows. "I guess you can't see yourself from our eyes, can you?"

Lily scoffed, feeling James's chest shake with suppressed laughter. "What I'm saying is that there is another pair that acts more in love."

Everyone looked at her with lost faces. She rolled her eyes and pointed to the window. Sirius looked over at it, before turning his gaze back to Lily. He held her eyes as he walked to the casement. Then he looked and for a few moments, nothing registered. Then he smiled.

"I see who you mean. Yeah, no doubt about it. I agree with you. They have you beat."

Josey and Remus looked at each other in confusion, then got up and stood next to Sirius. They chuckled, too.

They were watching Frank and Alice lying on the ice, switching between kissing each other and shoving snow down each other's collars.

"Crazy lovebirds," muttered Josephine lovingly. "They are so cute, though!" She giggled girlishly.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

Josey walked back to her spot by the fireplace, stealing Lily's blanket as she walked past the couch.

"Josey!" cried Lily, who had let go of her hold on the blanket so James could hold her hands. "Give that back!"

"Um, no," disagreed Josey. "It's very warm, and I am cold!"

"You're sitting in front of the fire; how in the name of Merlin's left buttock can you be cold?" asked James. He shifted so Lily could snuggle closer in his arms.

"It's November," she said matter-of-factly, as if that solved and answered everything. Remus abandoned the fire (perhaps because it was too cold, if one went by Josey's logic), picked up his book and sat in Sirius's chair. Sirius, in turn, made himself comfortable on the window-seat. For a few minutes, they sat in silence, listening to the quiet sounds of the common room.

Lily opened her eyes to watch Sirius. She wondered what he was thinking that his brow should be furrowed and his expression both tired and sad. It had been a handful of days since James and Lily urged him out of the infirmary. He had spent much more time with them over the days, but still visited Nikeia everyday.

Sirius, in fact, was fighting back feelings of regret. Nikeia was still in the hospital wing and she wasn't doing too much better. He wished that she was still awake and that they were both out there, playing in the snow. He hadn't known that he could actually feel these types of feelings for one person. Naturally, he had hoped he could, but after a few girls did nothing for him, he gave up. After that, he just satisfied himself with a new girl every so often. The look of sadness on a girl's face did nothing to him; it didn't cause him sadness, or even the smallest amount of guilt. And yet now, as he watched Nikeia lie in the hospital, appearing as if dead... he felt terrible; sad and guilty and wishing for different things. He hoped the cold feeling working its way through his body was only because he was sitting by a window, though he actually knew it wasn't the case.

Of course, Lily knew none of his thoughts, but hoped he was all right. Eventually he turned to glance over at his friends, and addressed her with "Hey, Lils!" She heard tinges of true emotion in his words.

"Yeah, Sirius?" she responded, looking at him kindly.

"How did you conjure that blanket? What's the incantation?"

"Flick your wand in a 'v' and think _Prodo Vestis_."

Sirius did as he was told—for once—and a bright pink blanket the size of a hand towel appeared on his lap.

Remus chuckled. "I think you made a bit of a mistake."

Lily, too, chuckled, but said: "You have to have a clear image of a blanket in your head. If you don't, well, you get something like that." Lily pointed to the hand-towel.

"Well, it would've helped if you had said that before I tried," muttered Sirius. He closed his eyes, and thought of the blanket upstairs on his bed; a thick, grey and black wool blanket crocheted by the late Mrs. Potter. He squeezed his eyes tighter in order to stop the flow of tears from her memory. He thought the incantation and flicked his wand. Nearly instantly, he felt a weight on his legs. Then he heard a light applause. Sirius opened his eyes and looked down. He smiled, and spread out the black checkered blanket. It didn't look like the one upstairs, but it was wool, and warm. Sirius wrapped it around him and resumed his gaze out the window.

It was some stretch of time before someone talked.

"My hand itches," said James, scratching his hand against the fabric of the couch.

"You know what that means, don't you?" asked Lily, looking up at James's face.

"No." James slowly shook his head. "What does it mean?"

"It means you're going to steal something."

Josey pulled the blanket closer to her small body, but James didn't glance her way. Instead his gaze remained on Lily and he gave a small smile.

"How about stealing your breath away?" he asked. Before Lily could say anything, James pressed his lips to hers, and well, took her breath away.

"That was pathetic, Prongs," said Sirius, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "Maybe you do beat Frank and Alice."

Remus mimicked his eye-rolling and sighed. Josey just smiled and snuggled in the blanket.

When James and Lily finally separated, Lily beamed. "Well, I guess stealing requires the victim to be caught off guard." James chuckled and kissed her shortly.

"But, now my nose itches!" proclaimed Lily, rubbing her nose.

"And does that mean something?" asked James, his voice betraying his desire to be kissed again.

Lily smirked. "It does..."

"Well...?" urged James, wondering what it was. Lily's smirk deepened as she stood. She walked over to Sirius and kissed his cheek. Sirius jumped and looked at Lily, surprised at what she just did.

"Oi!" cried James, nearly falling off the couch. "What did you kiss _him_ for?"

"I kissed him because you aren't a fool. Not all the time, anyway."

James's eyebrows scrunched together.

"When your nose itches," Lily began, "it means you are going to kiss a fool." Lily's smirk remained on her face, as everyone else's was thoughtful.

Then...

"OI! Not fair!" Good ol' Sirius jumped off the window-seat and faced Lily, placing his hands roughly on her shoulders. "Do I look like a fool to you?"

Lily quirked an eyebrow.

Sirius glared.

James smiled.

Remus chuckled.

Josey laughed.


	28. Hogsmeade

**Chapter Twenty-Eight – Hogsmeade**

The day for the special Hogsmeade trip dawned bright and pretty—if not chilly—and seemed to mock the snow on the ground. The previous two weeks had been no different from any other weeks—other than that they were not as eventful. Classes, meals, and homework were the main focuses, which meant that everyone was grateful for the Hogsmeade day. They would have no more classes for the rest of the year, and they would have a ball as well. Everyone was happy.

The school was going into the village in shifts by year. Each group was allowed one hour inside the costume store, and whatever time they didn't spend in the store, they could spend wandering around the village.

The students in the courtyard watched the rather small group of first and second year kids smile and dance around as they came back from Hogsmeade. When Lily—standing with her friends, James and the other Marauders—caught sight of Monica, she beckoned her over to the side. Josey and Alice saw, and quickly surrounded the first year.

"So, what did you get?" Lily asked. Making sure no one could see, Monica pulled from her large bag a bright white, full-sleeved shirt, a skirt of vibrant magenta, a sash of robin's egg blue, a fringed shawl of colors so bright and varied Lily found herself blinking rapidly, and a pair of yellow slippers.

"Oh, Monica! What amazing colors!" gushed Josey, feeling the fabrics.

"Yeah, I did see something else that I loved, but when we decided to—my friends and I—to coordinate, I fell in love with this! I am so glad that first years are able to go!" Her statement was echoed in her facial expression.

"I'm glad we decided that, too," admitted Lily, smiling. "What are you guys all dressing up as?"

Monica smiled devilishly. "You'll see."

Lily tossed her a look. "Well, are you still going to go with your girlfriends?"

Monica nodded. "Yeah. Boys are so silly at this age. When they heard that we all were dressing up like each other, they decided to jump in and do the same thing! Boys are _so silly_ at this age …"

The three older girls laughed at the repeated—and very wise—statement, looking over their shoulders at the seventh year boys.

"They don't get much better as they get older," teased Lily.

"And, don't you think that's a bit flattering? To have them take your idea?" asked Alice, her head cocked to one side.

"Or cheating," was all Monica said in response. The girls laughed again.

"I would've thought you'd like to go with Sam," teased Josey, pulling a lock of Monica's hair.

Monica pulled a face. "He's a good friend, but I don't feel that way about him." The wind had reddened her cheeks, so it was difficult to see the faint blush that touched her cheeks, but not impossible.

The older girls shared a look and just nodded at Monica, knowing that their teasing was very easy to spot. Monica scoffed, rolled her eyes and threw them her favorite "I can't believe you guys" look.

A girl called out to Monica, who smiled broadly at the other girls before skipping off to join her friends.

The seventh years shared another laugh, and then linked arms to walk back to the guys.

As they reached them, James called out to Samuel, who was walking with a few of his friends.

The tall eleven year old made his way over to the group.

"Did you find anything?" asked James.

"No, James, I just have a bag in my hand to carry air around," said Sam sarcastically.

James threw his hands up in surrender as the others laughed.

"All right, easy there. Going with anyone special?" he asked.

Sam threw him such an honest "I really don't care" look that they all laughed again.

"What? Can't find anyone that likes you? Even a little bit?"

"It took you long enough to find a girl to take your arrogance," retorted Sam, without batting an eye.

Everyone but James barked in laughter, thoroughly amused with this kid. James's face was almost without expression; an ever-so-faint smirk was slyly sitting on his lips.

"All right, punk," said James. "Forget what I said about the Quidditch thing."

Again, Sam hardly reacted to the almost threat. "I'll try out and get on the team without your help then. Your word isn't that important."

Sirius and Remus snorted in response to that.

James continued to look at Sam, who didn't break eye contact. Then, James reached out and ruffled Sam's hair before gently shoving him away from the group, saying, in a voice filled with affection: "Go on, get out of here. We don't need your smartness."

Sam stumbled from the shove, but threw a broad smile over his shoulder as he walked away.

"Merlin, that kid…" James trailed off, but everyone understood him.

"He and Monica would look cute together," said Josey.

"Now, don't play matchmaker," urged Remus. "They'll figure it out on their own."

Suddenly, a cold mass hit the back of James's head. He spun around, holding the back of his head, and somehow knew that it was Sam who had thrown the snowball. Sure enough, Sam was standing on the step, his one bag lying beside a hole in the snow. A daring smirk was on the young face.

James couldn't resist. He picked up a handful of snow, which he then whipped across the courtyard.

Sam nimbly ducked out of the way of the snowball that was perfectly aimed for his torso.

"What did you say you were going to try out for?" asked James, picking up another snowball.

Sam reached for his own ball of snow, and shouted: "I was thinking Keeper."

James scoffed. "Just make sure you stop the Quaffle; you can't let it fly by you like that."

Sam smiled. "Then I'll just take your spot."

James patted the snowball, and made a "tsking" sound. "You can't let Quaffles go by you as a Chaser, either." He threw the snowball.

Sam caught it neatly against his chest, smirking.

James laughed, and threw another snowball.

And so, a snowball fight was started. It grew until nearly everyone inclined to snowball fights was involved. The teachers tactfully stayed out of the action by standing on the steps, though a few students would swear they had seen Flitwick enchant more than a few chunks of snow to zoom into the fight.

Thanks to an advanced and expanded Warming Charm cast by Lily, Alice and Remus, the fight lasted nearly two hours. Large snow-forts were erected half by hand, half by magic. Teams formed, further broken into two halves; one for packing snowballs, and another for shooting them. Grunts, screams, and laughter permeated the quad completely. As different groups left to go to Hogsmeade, the fighting force thinned out. Eventually, a truce was called when it became time for the seventh years to leave.

McGonagall appeared on the steps of the school. She looked at the two forts, then looked to the Marauders. They all shrugged guiltily. When a smile tugged at the tips of McGonagall's mouth, the four sevenths years knew they weren't going to get points taken.

They didn't know that McGonagall would send four snowballs to collide with their faces.

Inside Edgar's Enchanted Emporium of Fashion, the seventh year were milling about happily, going through racks of clothing and giggling. Even the boys would admit (quietly, of course) that they were enjoying the shop.

It was a rather plain looking building from the outside, looking as if it was made in the Tudor style. The interior (decorated with wooden floors, off-white walls and a few tapestries) was quite spacious, with a second level rising above the first near the back of the shop. At the back of the upper level were individual stalls for changing. Racks of apparel and small accessories were everywhere, with each era or time period separated from another. An entire wall was covered in shoes; a moving ladder allowed one to reach the top shelves.

"Lily!" called James helplessly. Lily turned away from the racks of gowns, and returned to her boyfriend.

"What is it?"

"I don't know what to wear." He was simply staring at the array of male attire.

Lily smiled faintly at his bewilderment. Glancing around, she notices shirts of various colors, all of which had full sleeves and laced up to the collar. "I kind of like this style. Reminds me of a pirate."

James gave the shirt an assessing look, and then nodded. "I think I could play a pirate rather well." And with that, he began to turn through the hanging shirts. "Are we supposed to match? What color are you going to wear?"

"I was thinking green..."

"Mm... yeah, that will look good with your eyes." James turned away from the shirts to look into Lily's eyes. He leaned forward to gently kiss her forehead. They smiled at each other for a moment before Lily went back to the dresses. James watched her go, figuring he was the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

"Hey, Lily! What do you think of this?" asked Josey, coming toward her from the high portion of the shop. She was carrying a deep-salmon colored gown.

"That's beautiful," gushed Lily. "You know, I think I saw something that you could wear with that." Lily spun around, and walked over to a stand of accessories. She pulled a hair comb off the shelf. Josey grabbed it with wide eyes, which were averted as soon as they saw another comb. Lily rolled her eyes and left Josey to 'ooh' and 'aah' over the multitude of combs.

"Lily?" called Alice, from behind the redhead. "Do you like this?" Alice asked, holding up an ivory colored gown, with a blue belt. Lily nodded and told Alice to try it on.

As Alice walked off again, Lily went back to looking for her own gown. Soon, she found a gown in dark green velvet, edged in bands of dark brown. The v-shaped collar ended at an empire waist.

Her eyes widened in adoration as she held it before her. She noticed the two tags attached to the arm; one stated that it would automatically fit, and the second was the rather steep price tag. The next moment however, she fell even more in love with enchanted stores; the price dropped quite a few galleons. She figured the owner could afford a price drop after all the business he was doing this day. She clutched the gown to her chest as she walked to the dressing rooms.

It was then that Alice came out. Her gown also sported a high waist (enhanced by the silk waistband), as well as delicate embroidery. Short, puffed sleeves completed the gown. Lily smiled, and said, "It looks absolutely adorable!"

Alice smiled at Lily through the mirror and continued to look at the fall of the gown.

Lily stepped into her own stall, changed from her Muggle clothes, and sighed at the promised perfect fit.

Alice only had praises for the gown when she stepped from the stall. "That looks fantastic, Lily! I'm so happy I was able to find something on the first try. I usually don't like shopping. So, this is quite wonderful, even if it is just because the store's enchanted."

Lily nodded agreement, and the two girls smiled at each other's reflections.

"Ladies, you look amazing!" said a suave voice from their left. Alice and Lily turned quickly to face Sirius, who was leaning against the wall. He had a smile on his face, and Lily was happy to see one. She bobbed a curtsy and thanked him. Alice followed her lead, and they were both surprised when Sirius bowed dramatically, pretending to whisk off a hat.

Josey emerged from the stall next to him, and he bowed again, wolf-whistling playfully. Josey curtsied and walked over to the mirror. The gown's square neckline was edged in white lace, and was cut lower than Lily would've been comfortable wearing. The bodice had lacing up the front. The red-orange color of the gown perfectly contrasted her blue eyes and added an allure to Josey. The hair comb that she settled on fastened her impromptu bun.

"What are you going to wear, Sirius?" asked Alice, once she and Lily had commented on Josey's look.

He shrugged.

"Well, ladies, I think we should go and help Sirius pick out something," said Alice.

All three girls smiled in such a way that Sirius muttered, "Oh dear."

Remus was standing in front of shelves of well-cut eighteenth century jackets when James came up beside him. "Any luck?" he asked.

James held up his arms. Slung over one of them were a white shirt and a pair of dark green pants. In the other hand, black boots were being held by their folded down tops. A dark green velvet cloak was draped over the same arm. Remus sighed.

"How about you?" inquired James.

"Well, looking at this little pamphlet-" he held up the folded parchment- "I've found I rather like this eighteenth century look." He showed James the picture of a man wearing breeches, stockings and buckled shoes, completed by a cravat and a long-tailed fitted jacket. "I just don't know what color jacket I like."

"Well, if you want my opinion…" started James, shifting his clothes to one arm.

Remus raised an eyebrow.

"I would go for this…." James held up a coat of sea-green taffeta.

Remus looked from the coat to James and back to the coat. "I don't think that color works."

James just smirked. "Really? Well, I think it's a perfect color for you, but… let's ask the girls' opinion." James looked toward the dressing rooms, and then let out a sound of approval. "Here they come." He waited until they reached them, then asked about a color for Remus.

All three girls glanced a Remus, then began scanning the shelves. At the same moment, they all reached for a midnight-blue jacket with pewter-grey buttons. They chuckled at their unanimous decision. Lily pulled it off the shelf and handed it to Remus.

Remus looked down at the coat, and back up at the girls. "Well, if you all like it, I supposed I can't argue."

"And I_so_ liked the green," sighed James, replaced the coat (unfolded) on the shelf. Lily exhaled sharply and refolded the coat.

"Are you matching with someone, Remus?" asked Josey.

"What do you mean?" he responded.

"I mean, who are you going with?"

"Kayla Avilla, the other Gryffindor prefect. We didn't have anyone to go with, so we just thought we'd go together."

James nodded. "She is a nice girl."

Lily rolled her eyes. Then, her eyebrows came together. "Josey, now that I think about it, who are _you_ going with?"

"Antoine Wood," Josey said, almost as if she was waiting for them to say something. "He asked me to go a few days after the announcement was made. He was just so handsome, I couldn't say no. He's also a great guy," she told everyone, in response to their exasperated sighs and eye-rolling, lest they think she was _all_ about the looks.

Suddenly, Lily gasped, "Shoes!"

The other girls gasped in unison. All three took off for the wall that was covered in shoes.

Sirius watched them go with his hands akimbo.

"Oi! What about me?" he called after the girls. Lily called back over her shoulder: "We'll be right back!"

"What was that all about?" asked Frank, coming up behind Remus.

"Well, apparently the girls still need shoes," answered Remus.

"Well I caught that much, thanks," retorted Frank. He shifted the load in his arms, and revealed a cobalt blue jacket, black pants and calf-high boots of black. An ivory shirt sleeve poked out from under the load as well. "I was talking about Sirius."

"I need clothes and the girls _were going to help me pick something out_," supplied Sirius, speaking a bit louder than necessary, hoping that his voice would carry over to the girls.

"Well, I'm going to go and pay for this stuff. Coming, Moony? Frank?" asked James, pointing towards the front of the store. Remus nodded, as did Frank.

"Oh, gee, thanks, mates!" said Sirius sarcastically. James, Frank and Remus waved their hands over their heads. Sirius growled at them. Figuring he might as well do something, he began to look at the stacks of pants in front of him.

Fifteen minutes later, Sirius had a pair of dark brown pants and near-black boots in his hand. The girls came back to him as he was looking for a shirt.

"Ah, found shoes?" he asked, looking at their smiling faces. Again in unison, they held up boxes with dainty pairs of slippers that would match their gowns.

Sirius nodded in approval, then showed them his items, which were scrutinized.

"I like the style. I'm not so sold on the color," Josey admitted.

The other girls nodded somewhat regretfully, disliking that they were negating his past fifteen minutes. He shrugged good-naturedly.

"How about this?" Alice held up a grayish blue shirt with full sleeves—though not quite as full as James's. Lily nodded.

"Oh, that'll look good, but _this_ might look better..." said Josey. She whipped a black shirt from a nearby bar and held it up.

Sirius's eyes seemed to light up. Lily made an "ooh-ing" sound of approval.

"Well, then, how about these dark grey pants, and…" started Alice.

"And tall black boots," finished Lily.

Sirius held out his arms to accept the new clothing. However, his brow furrowed. He looked back at the stacks of pants, and managed to work the grey pants off his arm. He picked up a pair of black ones. He looked back at the girls for their approval. When they realized he desired to live up to his surname, their faces broke into broad smiles.

"Well, I'm going to go try all this on," said Sirius, enjoying the attention of these three girls. "Prepare to be amazed."

They laughed, and watched him walk off, though "strut" might be more accurate.

As he did so, Lily noticed a set of masks over to her left. Her eyes widened, and she called out to Sirius to wait. Lily grabbed one of the jet-black masks and ran back to Sirius. He smirked, and then dashed up the few steps. The three young women followed him at a slower pace, admiring the other gowns.

When they reached the back of the shop, Sirius was done and standing in front of the mirror. With a flourish, he turned around, tightening the bandana-mask around his head. He struck a dashing pose and smirked. The girls clapped and nodded their approval.

"Now all we need is a sword..." Alice's voice trailed away when a glint of sliver caught her eye. She handed her two boxes to Josey, ran back to the front of the shop and returned with a belted sword in her hands. From over Alice's shoulder, Lily saw James notice the swords and his eyes widened. She chuckled and watched as Sirius buckled the sword over his left hip. Sirius smiled so brightly that Lily could've thought he was a child in a candy store. She laughed out loud and everyone else joined in.

"You'd make a dreadfully wonderful pirate…" commented Lily.

Sirius smirked again and brandished his thin rapier. The girls laughed at his playful manner; they were extremely happy to see that he was back to his normal self.

As Sirius returned to the dressing stall, Josey whispered: "If I didn't have a crush on Antoine, I'd be head-over-heels for Sirius. He looked too good to be true in that outfit."

Lily nodded, and Alice sighed deeply in agreement.

Then they heard soft laughter, and each turned a bright shade of red. Sirius came out of the room, his selection in a magically provided box. He went up to each girl and kissed her cheek.

"Those doors should be sound-proof!" said Alice, though she was laughing. Everyone else joined in her laughter, and turned to the front of the store.

After paying for their new clothes, the seven wizards walked out of the shop, all carrying thick bags like old flour sacks embossed with the store's emblem.

At Frank's request, they entered Madam Rosmerta's, which was warm and crowded with Hogwarts seven years. The seven friends found seats at a large circular table in the corner; James and Lily went up to the bar to order their drinks.

"Oh, why, 'ullo James!" called Madam Rosmerta, the pretty bar maid. "And Miss Lily. I heard that you two are now an item... Is this true?"

Lily nodded sheepishly as James put his arm possessively around her.

"Why, dear Merlin! I remembered one day a few years ago—seven butterbeers, I presume?—when you two came in here and you, James, must've been annoying dear Lily something fierce, and Lily—why! You threw your drink right in his face!" Rosmerta chuckled as she removed the tops of seven butterbeers.

Both Lily and James blushed with the memory. James even reached up to rub his cheek as if remembering the feeling of the bottle hitting him.

"Well, never mind. It's in the past. Now, where's that little one—Peter? I know he's not _that_ short."

Lily and James looked at each other just realizing that they hadn't seen Peter in a while.

"I don't know. What _did_ happen to Peter?"

"I'm not sure. He did come with us to Hogsmeade, did he?" asked James, surprised and ashamed that he hadn't noticed the absence of a Marauder.

"Oi, James!" called Sirius. "Look who just showed up!" Peter was standing next to Sirius's chair.

"Look who just showed up!" echoed Lily with a smile.

"Well, at least you didn't hurt the poor thing," Rosmerta said with a wink as she placed another bottle on the tray as she pushed it towards James. He laid down the price and walked away.

"Wormtail!" he cried, as he got closer. "Where in the world have you been?"

"Oh, I've been here in Hogsmeade."

"Really? Where?" asked Josey.

"In the book store. I did come with you guys, but I didn't need robes, so I just went book-browsing."

"What did you get?" asked Lily, always eager about books. Peter pulled a book from inside his coat, which he handed to Lily.

"I needed it for Muggle Studies," offered Peter, when Lily looked quizzically up from the cover of the book about Muggle life.

"Oi," muttered Sirius. "I don't know why you took that class."

"Well, I needed it to fill out my schedule. It's not a bad class. It's actually rather fascinating the way Muggles-"

"Okay, okay, Peter! We don't need a lecture. It is Saturday, after all," said Sirius, waving a hand to break off Peter's flow of words.

"Wait, what do you mean you don't need robes? You are going, aren't you?" asked Josey. Peter shrugged.

"Of course, you are! We're going to walk you back to the shop and you're going to choose an outfit," cried Sirius. Peter looked slightly worried, but his face cleared when James clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"It's all right. We won't let Sirius do anything dangerous," reassured James. Everyone else laughed and continued to drink their butterbeers.

Back in Edgar's, they found Peter an outfit of brown pants, buckled shoes, white shirt and a copper-colored vest. The group was exiting the store for the second time when James and Sirius passed the rows of hats. Lily laughed when they turned to the girls with wide eyes, each holding a hat.

"Great minds think alike," said Lily, nodding to her boyfriend and dear friends. Alice leaned in and finished the statement: "And fools seldom differ."

All three girls burst into titters of laughter. James and Sirius raised their eyebrows in confusion at the laughter, as they hadn't heard the quote, but pushed the hats on their heads.

They turned to the girls for approval, and got laughter and grimaces.

Lily shook her head apologetically as she traded the rather comical cowboy hat Sirius had put on for a wide-brimmed one in jet-black. The brim curved up on one end and was finished with a long red feather. Needless to say, the way it covered Sirius's eye caused the girls to sigh pleasantly.

Lily reached around James and grabbed a hat in a similar style. The deep green felt and brown feather matched his costume, and James was happy again. Well, after Lily treated him to a deep kiss, he was happy.

They said good-bye to the happy—and now rich—shopkeeper and started on their way back to Hogwarts. Sirius brought up the subject of the Christmas break.

"So, Lily. Since you're James's girlfriend, are you going to stay in Hogwarts over the break?"

"Well, I'm staying not because of James, but because I don't really have anywhere else to go." responded Lily curtly. "I don't have a home to go home to, and I am sure my sister doesn't want me to stay with her and her fat fiancée Vernon."

"Oh, Lily, I'm sorry." And Sirius certainly sounded like it. Lily swayed slightly so that she bumped into him. She smiled up at him, and leaned into his one-armed embrace. "Good. You're staying with us. Wonderful. I don't have anywhere to go; we can have fun together." Lily and James nodded in agreement with Sirius's words.

"I'm staying, too. My parent's are away in the south of France on a well-earned vacation," stated Remus.

"Oh, of course, they are!" said James. "After dealing with you and your furry little problem!"

Remus's shot a glare at James. Lily look puzzled, but then she remember Remus's lycanthropy and finally understood James's years-old joke.

"You know," started Josey, "I've never been able to figure out why you own a rabbit!"

Remus sighed. "Oh, yeah. Well, I found it when I was younger and it has been blessed with a long life and a bad temperament." Remus looked over to James as if he was ready to push him into the snow. Lily snickered from between James and Sirius, her arms entwined with theirs.

Josey noticed the picture possibility, and ran ahead to engage a charm that took a still picture of the threesome. She just as quickly moved back to the second row of seventh years. They continued on as if nothing had happened.

"Well, I still would think you would have a dog, or something like that," admitted Alice, snuggling a bit closer to Frank.

"Well, I do have a dog," said Remus. "He even worse behaved than the rabbit." With this, Remus shot a meaningful to Sirius, who merely smiled and started skipping along the snow-covered road. As Lily and James were 'attached' to Sirius, they started to skip as well. "His name is Snuffles," added Remus in answer to Josey's next question. Remus looked ahead at his three friends skipping along the path, and shook his head, laughing softly. If anything, he would look forward to the Christmas break with James and Lily and Sirius.

"Peter, are you staying?" he asked. Peter shook his head. "Really? Why?"

"Um, my parents want to take advantage of some gift they got and go on a vacation, too."

"Ah. What about you; Frank, Alice and Josey?" All three of them shook their heads.

"My parents want to spend this Christmas together. I guess the whole Voldemort thing has really shaken them up," admitted Frank. Alice nodded and claimed that the same was for her.

"I really don't want to leave Lily here, but I do want to spend time with my family," sighed Josey. She bent down and picked up some snow. She giggled and as she packed the snow, she looked ahead to where Sirius, James and Lily were walking. (They had stopped skipping as Sirius wouldn't skip in rhythm.) She threw the snowball at Lily, and then ducked behind Frank.

Frank held up his hands in an "I'm innocent" sort of look when Lily turned around. She raised an eyebrow, and Frank subtly moved his head to tell her that Whoever Threw the Snowball was standing behind him. Lily nodded, and picked up her own snowball. As she hurled it, Frank jumped out of the way, and it got Josey right on her head. Lily laughed triumphantly, and turned back around to skip some more with Sirius and James.

Josey brushed the snow off of her head and glared at the Traitor Frank. She kicked some snow up at him. Frank just laughed and put his arm around Alice, who put her arm around Remus and started skipping. Josey glared after them before laughing and running to catch up, Peter beside her.

**Author's Note: **Gosh, this is a long chapter. As I went through it for re-editing, I tried to trim some stuff, but I couldn't quite cut it down any. Heck… I might have made it longer. Oh, bother. *checks* No… HA! Got rid of over eight hundred words (roughly). Wow. How did I do that!

Thanks for **Quiditchfan** for suggesting the addition of the "great minds" line. I had written it in a response to a review of hers, and thought it would great to add in.


	29. Before the Ball

**Chapter Twenty-Nine – Before the Ball**

The day before the Masquerade was full of anxious yet relaxed students. The prefects and the two Heads were helping the teachers set up the Great Hall for the final feast and the Masquerade. Tomorrow's lunch meal would be sent to the common rooms so the Hall's decorations could be finalized.

When decoration ended for that night, James and Lily returned to the Gryffindor common room.

Monica and Sam, playing chess in a quiet corner, were the first people they saw. James slid his arm around Lily's waist and led her over to the two first years.

"Well, you two. Have you finally decided to go the ball together?" He teased. Lily hit him in his stomach; he barely twitched.

Sam shot him a quick glare, and Monica rolled her eyes. They didn't say anything however; James admired their dedication to the game.

"James, stop bothering them about that," reprimanded Lily.

"I wasn't bothering them!" he shot back, looking down at her.

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't!"

"Yes, Potter, you were-"

"Shut up!" cried a voice from next to the fireplace. James and Lily spun around, and saw Remus holding his head in his hands. It was he who had told them to stop arguing.

"You really _can't_ stand cliché little things can you?" said Lily. "Guessing games, Yes-no-yes-no... Any others we should know about?"

"Romances where the guy tries to get the girl for six years, and then she suddenly turns around and falls in madly in love with him; those type of clichéd romances just irk me. So unrealistic," responded Remus with a straight face.

It was James and Lily's turn to scowl. All three students continued to scowl at one another.

"You know, eventually, they're going to have to laugh. And blink," stated Frank after a minute or two.

They didn't.

It finally took Sirius jumping up and down between them and falling over Josey's purposely extended foot for Remus, James and Lily to crack a smile.

Josey and Lily were walking through the hallways later that night towards the Hospital Wing in silence. Josey broke it when she spoke to Lily.

"How do we know if she's ever going to come out of this? It's been two months, if not more."

"Josey," Lily said, slowly and quietly. "We can only hope it's just a matter of time."

"I know, Lily!" cried Josey, leaning against the wall. "It's just... just so different without her." Tears started to come to her eyes, and Lily reached out to take her friend in her arms.

Minutes later, Josey stopped crying, and Lily said, "Come on. Let's go see Madam Pomfrey."

When they reached the Wing, the matron was standing over Nikeia.

"Oh, Lily! Josey! How great to see you!" she cried, coming around the foot of the bed to face the girls.

"Hullo, Madam Pomfrey. How is she?" Josey asked, taking Nikeia's pale hand in her own.

"Oh, I could say she's getting better."

Lily's head snapped up to look at the elderly woman. "Really?"

"Well, I changed her bandages, and her cuts—why! They're actually healing. Hoping she was finally on the mend, I didn't give her the Dreamless Sleep potion last night. I kept a sharp ear out for her tossing and turning, mind you, though it was almost futile; she stayed perfectly still! She didn't appear to be having any nightmares. Any at all!" The nurse clasped her hands together, the bright smile now spreading across her face. "I really have a genuine hope for her now," she added happily.

"That's wonderful, Madam Pomfrey," said Lily, hugging Josey with one arm. Josey's tears had come back, though softly.

Madam Pomfrey made a few more adjustments to the bedclothes, then straightened and turned to Lily. "By the way, how's your scar been doing, Lily?"

"It'll sting every once in while, and it hasn't got any fainter, though I really don't expect it to. Other than that, it's fine. I didn't even have any trouble picking out a dress for the masquerade," Lily admitted, and she laughed along with Josey and the matron.

"Can we stay here, Madam Pomfrey, and talk with you?" asked Josey.

"Why of course, dears. Though, I don't know how much talking I'll be able to do. I haven't talked to young ladies for some time; I hardly know what to say!" She chuckled, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Lily shook her head good-humouredly. "We'd just love any conversation that doesn't involve those ridiculous boys."

Madam Pomfrey laughed, then said, "Indeed, those boys can be quite…" She huffed comically. "Now, tell me about this masquerade."

Lily and Josey talked all about their gowns, who they were going with—not that Madam Pomfrey didn't know enough about the two Quidditch players already, as both spent more than their fair share of time in the Wing—the Great Hall, and anything else that happened to be brought up. Madam Pomfrey proved to be quite the amusing lady, coming up with her own stories of her days at Hogwarts and offering advice about various things—like how to prevent blisters from dancing or shortness of breath from a too-tight dress (advice that Josey paid close attention to).

It was only when James walked into the Hospital Wing that they stopped talking.

"Hey, Madam Pomfrey. I've come to steal Miss Evans away. We have a job to do, my pet." He helped Lily up from her spot next to Nikeia's bed.

"Well, that's quite all right. Take this one too," ordered Madam Pomfrey, waving a hand at Josey, who chuckled and thanked the woman.

"How's Nikeia doing?" asked James.

"Better. She's no longer bleeding, and she doesn't appear to be in pain. I have a great suspicion that she'll come to… soon."

"That's great! I told you; you _are_ a great nurse!" exclaimed James, winking at Madam Pomfrey. Lily chuckled, grabbed James's arm and turned him around. Shouting partings over their shoulders, the trio left the large room and stepped into the dark hallway. They left Josey at the common room, and then James and Lily started their patrol.

After a few minutes, James stopped Lily and held a finger up to his lips. Lily listened. She heard the click of a door, followed by a bit of muffled movement. Silently, Lily pulled out her wand and whispered an incantation: "_Invenio lugo_." Just like that one day so long ago, a ball of light shot out of the top of her wand, hovered for a moment, and then sped towards a spot in the hall where it split into two separate balls. James quirked an eyebrow.

"I, um, created it a while ago," muttered Lily sheepishly as she started to walk toward the broom-closet. She was beginning to wonder why there were so many broom closets around Hogwarts.

She gestured to the door as she looked at James. He took the hint, grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. A muffled squeak was followed by some more movement.

"Ah! The Slytherin Quidditch captain! Just who I wanted to talk to," lied James. "I was wondering how your practices were going? We're doing mightily well; I think we'll finally win this year. Wait, we always win!" James smiled a matter-of-fact smile. Lily sniggered.

The tall and ruggedly dark Slytherin Keeper, Adam Tait, pushed himself from his girlfriend. His face was hard at being interrupted, and the faint scar on his cheek from an old Quidditch injury (given to him by James) was highlighted in the half-light. The girl looked down at her shoes as she fixed her appearance. Lily remembered that her name was Claire Salamander, and a teammate of Adam; she was a Chaser. She pushed a strand of slightly mussed burgundy hair out of her face, and adjusted the earnings in her ears. Adam put his hand on her waist and stepped out of the closet.

"Ten points from Slytherin. Maybe you'll be able to make it up during Quidditch," said James with that Marauder Smirk. "Don't let us catch you here again. Or in any other broom closet. Good night."

After Adam and Claire got a few feet away from James and Lily, Adam leaned down to kiss Claire quite intensely, his hands pulling her close against him. James was about to call to them, but Lily put a hand on his arm and shook her head. James sighed. Then he looked into the broom-closet, and with the same Smirk, looked at the backs of the two Slytherins. He refocused on Lily.

"My dear Miss Evans, have you ever been inside a broom-closet?"

"Dear Miss Evans" gave James a "don't even try it" look, and closed the broom closet door. She started walking away, but James pulled her back.

"Come on now… It's just a broom closet."

He wrapped his arms around her, leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose. She tried to keep a stoic look on her face, but his deceitfully innocent look made her smile.

He reopened the broom closet door, and pulled her in.

Not thirty seconds later, the door opened. Unfortunately, it was by someone on the outside that it opened.

"Potter! Evans!" cried Professor McGonagall. James was holding onto Lily quite firmly, and his hair showed signs of being even more messed up than usual. "I would hardly expect to find you two students doing the exact thing you are supposed to be watching out for."

"But professor, we're only supposed to make sure people aren't in the hallways, not in the broom closets," argued James. Lily pinched his side and sent him a glare that distinctly told him to shut up. He didn't pay attention. "And anyway. We did take ten points from Slytherin because we caught the Captain and his girlfriend in here before us."

"Detention, Potter! You, too, Evans. I'll give them when we come back from break. Out." She stepped away from the doorway, allowing James and Lily to step down from inside the broom closet. She closed the door behind them, and then abruptly smacked James's shoulder with her wand. He cried out and rubbed his shoulder. He looked to her with wide eyes for an explanation.

"There was a spider."

James abruptly stopped and wiped his hand on Lily's robes. She scoffed and slapped James's arm.

"You could've charmed it off! You didn't have to hit me!"

"Using a charm for such a menial task is quite superfluous," McGonagall said, raising her eyebrow.

"And detention for such a simple act isn't?"

"The detention is for your impertinence." McGonagall rolled her eyes and walked away.

Lily was holding her head in her hands, so her next sentence was rather muffled. "You know James, when someone finds themselves in a hole, the first thing they do is stop digging."

James smirked and shrugged. Lily glared.

As soon as McGonagall was gone around the corner, James said, "Well, unfortunately Miss Evans, our time was cut short. Perhaps another day?"

"We shall see. If a spider got onto you that quickly, I could only imagine what more time in the closet would bring."

James's eyes widened. "There was actually a spider on my shoulder?"

"It was a little one."

He grimaced. "Egh. We could always find another closet without spiders."

"Mr. Potter, we are supposed to patrolling, not examining the inside of closets," said Lily, biting back the laughter.

"Very well, I guess I shall just have to kiss you right here and now without the broom closet," said James, pulling Lily towards him and kissing her soundly on the mouth. She whimpered in surprise, and then obligingly melted happily against him.

Suddenly, however, she pushed him away, caught her breath quickly, and said, "Do you realize you've gotten me into yet another detention?"

James sighed, but responded. "This is the first. You got yourself into the other six."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and you don't want to take credit for them?"

"Nope," said James matter-of-factly. "That would be incriminating myself. Not smart. And Marauders are always smart."

Lily barked in very unladylike laughter, and turned away from him. He smirked, and ran to catch up with her as they continued their patrol.

James, Lily, Remus, Sirius, Josey, Sam and Monica were lounging about in the Heads' common room the next afternoon after lunch in Gryffindor tower. As usual, James and Lily were sitting snuggly next to one another. Remus played a game of chess with Sirius, who was getting hints from Josey, for once. Sam and Monica were sitting on the floor in front of the fire, roasting the Muggle 'concoctions'—as James called them—called marshmallows. They had picked some up at a store in Hogsmeade the other day, and Monica was showing the full-blood wizards how to eat them. Samuel, who was only a quarter Muggle, had never had them, and was chewing one with zeal. Monica was smiling at his antics and pointed the poker at Lily. She took the marshmallow off the end and was about to put it in her mouth, when James grabbed it from her fingers and shoved it in his own. Lily looked at him as if she was wondering what in the world gave him the right to do something like that. Understanding her look, he pointed to himself and said through the sticky mass: "Marauder."

Lily swiftly shoved him back against the armrest.

About an hour after lunch, Sirius glanced at his watch.

"Shouldn't you girls go and start getting ready?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Lily, holding up James's wrist to check the time in his watch. "It's half one!"

"Yeah, I know. Don't girls take, like, five hours to get ready?" Sirius looked from Remus, who was smiling with that smile that said 'Silly Sirius', to James, who was too busy running his fingers through Lily's red hair to respond.

"No. Some girls do, but I most certainly do not," admitted Lily, leaning back against James again.

"Yeah, I only take... two hours, at the absolute most," said Josey as she pointed a move out to Remus while Sirius was looking towards the fire. Remus smirked and moved.

"Checkmate," he said with that Marauder's Smirk stuck on his face. Sirius whipped around and looked down at the board. Then he looked from the board, to Remus, to the board, and finally to Josey, to whom he gave an accusing look. Josey's eyebrow lifted in a silent challenge for Sirius to say something. He scoffed and folded his arms. Monica stood up and handed him a marshmallow. He looked at it skeptically.

"It won't kill you, Snuffles. It's not traitorous like Josey," teased James.

The Traitorous Josey glared at James.

Sirius smirked at Josey and grabbed the roasted marshmallow. He shoved it in his mouth, and appeared to bite down on it. However, he struggled to open his mouth to bite back down on the marshmallow.

Monica's smirk deepened.

"Well, look at that. Monica's smirk could almost be called 'Marauder-ish'," admitted Remus with a smile as Sirius struggled to open his mouth again.

"So call it a Marauderette's Smirk," suggested Josey, her own 'Marauderette Smirk' in place.

"What did you do to that marshmallow?" asked Lily, stunned at Sirius's prolonged silence.

"I put a piece of caramel on the end. When you pull the marshmallow off the roaster, the caramel gets stuck in the middle. It's half melted, so when you bite into it…" She pointed to Sirius, who, at that moment, managed to get his teeth unstuck. He gagged slightly and looked to Monica incredulous.

"What type of caramel, in the name of Merlin, did you use?" Sirius looked somewhat disgusted as he spoke, his mouth still full of caramel and marshmallow. It _was_ a lot of sugar.

Monica laughed, before replying with: "Honeyduke's Triple Sticky Caramel."

Josey raised a hand over Sirius's head, and Monica slapped hers against it in a high-five. Monica returned to her spot near the fireplace where Sam, Lily and James were all smiling appreciatively.

"Well, Monica," started James, sitting up and leaning forward around Lily. "You have officially been inducted into newly established Order of the Marauderettes. Congratulations." James reached out a hand and shook Monica's. She was still smiling as if she was very pleased with herself. Which she was.

"Well…" Monica fiddled with a marshmallow before putting it on the poker. Sam noticed and, though James didn't see, started silently laughing. "You have my mother to thank. She had the brilliant idea to create this 'concoction', as you called it, James."

"Your mother invented the marshmallow?" asked Sirius, his words slightly jumbled as he ran his tongue over his teeth to get the caramel off.

"No, the caramel-middle-marshmallow, you idiot!" Remus reached across the chess table and smacked Sirius. There was a howl, and Sirius clasped a hand to his mouth. Remus raised an eyebrow and Sam, who had momentarily gotten control of his giggles, answered his unspoken question: "I think he bit his tongue." In answer, Sirius nodded vigorously. Lily was surprised he didn't bite his tongue again.

"Anyway, she calls them 'Shutter Uppers'."

Sam gave a shout of laughter and Josey joined him. Sirius, who could talk again, said, "I can see why. It's a perfect name!"

"Another, James?" asked Monica, once again holding the poker out to James and Lily. James nodded pleasantly, not seeing Sam, who was hidden behind the large chair, shaking with violent—but silent—laughter. James pulled the marshmallow off the metal pole, not seeing the tan strings that clung to the pole. Lily covered her mouth just in time to hide her laughter.

James put the marshmallow into his mouth, and with a startled mumble, he realized just what it was.

Sam, who had poked his rather blue-looking face over the armrest, finally burst. He flew back from the chair and started rolling on the floor in laughter. Sirius pointed his finger at James, laughing hysterically, and promptly fell off his chair. Remus and Josey, too, started laughing joyfully, leaning against each other as they did so.

The outrageous laughter continued for a long time. So long, that James was just swallowing the sticky mass when they finally stopped. When he looked at his friends in contempt, they broke into new fits of laughter and James had to join in.

"You know, those Shutter-Uppers are extremely sticky!" exclaimed James. Monica smiled "innocently". "Did you do something to them?"

"I may have enchanted them very, _very_ slightly." Monica gave a shaky smile, but James could see the sparkle in her blue eyes. "But other than that, it's all Honeydukes!" James glared at her and shook his head.

"I don't now which was funnier: watching you two fall prey to a Muggle thing, or Nikeia kissing Sirius full on the mouth after Exploding Snap," admitted Remus after he had received his self control again. Sirius's face fell a bit at the mention of Nikeia, but at that moment, Josey remembered something.

"Oh!" she cried, jumping out from behind the chess table and coming around to kneel next to Sirius. "Lily and I went to the hospital yesterday, and Madam Pomfrey said that Nikeia is healing. The cuts are healing, and she's no longer having nightmares! She might wake soon."

Somewhere in the midst of Josey's announcement, Sirius had gotten up to his knees, and was clutching her shoulders. With each word, his face cleared and became happier. "She's going to be alright, Sirius," Josey whispered to her friend. Sirius's face broke into a full-blown grin, and he hugged Josey very tightly.

After a few more Shutter-Uppers sacrificed themselves to a who-can-open-their-mouth-faster contest between James and Sirius, and much more laughter, Josey grabbed Sirius's wrist and looked at his watch. She gasped and beckoned to Lily and Monica.

"What is it?" asked Monica.

"It's four. Time to get ready." Suddenly, Josey's disposition took on that of an uptight Auror. "Monica, get your dress and anything else you will need and bring it back here. James; get your stuff and get out of here. We have to get ready, and don't need you boys around here to distract us." Josey looked so strictly at the boys that no one would have imagined that she had been laughing just a few seconds ago. James opened his mouth a few times, closing it each time to look suspiciously like a goldfish. "NOW!" shouted Josey, and James jumped.

He glared at Josey, then quickly kissed Lily. "Two hours will be too long," he muttered theatrically.

Lily rolled her eyes, but was smiling happily.

He pulled himself off the couch and then disappeared down the hallway. Remus and Sirius were just reaching the doorway, when he returned. Instead of turning with them, however, he dashed over and kissed Lily again. Josey bit back her laughter and ordered him out of the room.

He proved very unwilling however; he sat on the couch and attempted to hide behind Lily. She could only laugh and shake her head.

Sirius seemed to be fed up with James's antics and walked over to the couch, pulled James from it and threw him over his shoulder. Lily gasped, but continued to laugh at his awkward state. James, however, began shouting at Sirius. Sirius, of course, ignored his best friend.

Remus retrieved James's fallen bags, and followed Sirius.

They disappeared down the hallway, the sounds of laughter from the girls following them.

When they had left the hallway, Lily turned to Josey and slapped her arm lightly. "Why did you have to get rid of them so quickly?"

"Because, dahling," Josey took on a posh English accent as she put one arm around Lily's and the other around Monica's. They began walking toward Lily's room. "We all need to take showers and get dressed and do hair and-Oh! Monica, dahling, I told you to run to your room and get your stuff. Hurry up now, angel!"

Monica looked at Lily as if for an explanation, but Lily just shrugged.

Monica was at the portrait when Josey called, "Oh, and find Alice! If she's with Frank, pull her away!"

The first year sighed, and exited through the portrait.

Josey began laying out their dresses and accessories, and then turned on Lily.

As she was pushed toward the bathroom, she looked back over her shoulder as if she could see the freedom of earlier that evening go floating out her door. She groaned.

**Author's Note: **Thanks for **Omagus** for the "When someone finds themselves in a hole" line. He wrote it when he edited the chapter, and I loved it so much I had to put it in!


	30. I Hereby Dub Thee

**Chapter Thirty - I Hereby Dub Thee**

"Padfoot, can you put me down now, please?" asked James.

He was still being carried through the passageway on Sirius's shoulder. James was sure that it looked quite interesting, so he was very glad no one beside Sam and Remus were watching. Remus was walking with his hand over his mouth as he laughed. Sam, who James felt had been constantly laughing since the whole Shutter-Upper scene, was continuing to laugh. James hoped he was getting enough air.

Almost obligingly, Sam started hiccupping.

Sirius stopped suddenly, and literally dumped James off of his shoulders. With a gasp and a groan, James landed on his back. As soon as he could breathe again, he glared up at Sirius. The black-headed wizard just walked over James and started whistling on his way to the Gryffindor common room. Remus reached down and pulled James to his feet.

"One day, I swear he is just going to get it!" announced James, shaking his fist at Sirius's back.

"Well, Prongs," laughed Remus, "just make sure I'm there to see it."

"Of course, Moony ol' man!" James clapped Remus on the shoulder and started walking again. He got a few steps further down the passageway when Monica came rushing between James, Sam and Remus, carrying her bags from Edgar's in her arms. "Oi! Monica!" called James to the retreating brunette.

She turned around and started walking backwards. "What?"

"What are you wearing? I don't think I saw it when you showed it to Lily!"

Monica smirked that Marauderette Smirk. "You'll just have to wait and see. Just like with Lily, Alice, and Josey—Oh! Alice!" Monica stopped and retraced her steps past the three boys again.

James and Remus were finally coming out of the tunnel when Monica came running toward them again, with Alice (and her own bags) in tow. Remus managed to push James out of the way as they ran past.

"Crazy girls!" he muttered under his breath before stepping into the common room. They found that they didn't have to look around for Sirius, because he had been stopped in the middle of the common room by a girl who, though she was rather plain, was pretty. Sirius shook his head and walked around her. She followed him with her eyes and frowned. When James walked over to the boys' stairway, her frown fell away and she winked. James looked away quickly, for he was rather surprised.

"What was that all about?" he asked Sirius when he got back up to his old dorm. Sirius was unpacking his clothes and laying them out. "And why are you starting to get ready now? We have plenty of time."

"That girl—I think her name is Laila—wanted to ask me to the Masquerade. I told her no, that I was going alone. I'm setting out my clothes now because I want to be prepared for once." Sirius glared at James, before flopping backwards onto his bed and closing his eyes.

James shrugged but copied Sirius; he hung up his clothes and flopped onto his stomach on his bed, preparing to take a quick nap. Remus placed his own box on the bed and picked up a book. Samuel Donnelly shrugged as he ruffled his short brown hair and then mimicked Remus with the idea of reading. He picked up a tome from Remus's bedside table, and sat down on the window seat. Still hiccupping.

"Sam… get rid of those hiccups before I throw a pillow at you," threatened Sirius.

"Any ideas how? I can't just snap my fingers and they'll be gone," said Sam, rather sarcastic.

"Drink a glass of water from the opposite end of the cup," suggested James.

"Put a teaspoon of salt on a lemon, and then suck the juice out," suggested Remus.

"Eat a spoonful of honey," suggested Sirius.

"Peanut butter tastes better," retorted James.

"Honey's stickier."

Sam looked from one man to the other. "So, which was should I use?" he asked. He hiccupped.

"Whichever one you want."

"Thanks," stated Sam sarcastically. He sighed, and hiccupped again.

Remus took pity on the poor first year, and stood up. "Come on, I'll take you down to the kitchens."

They left James and Sirius arguing over honey and peanut butter.

In Lily's room, Josey and Alice were laying out the four gowns as Monica brushed out her curly brown hair.

"All right, Jo," said Lily as she came in from the bathroom, dressed in her bathrobe. "What are you going to do with me now?" She threw her old clothes to the foot of the wardrobe and started towel drying her hair.

"Oh, you make it sound like I'm some sort of tyrant!" whined Josey, taking off her shoes and sweater and making her way over to the door. "You can do whatever you like! I just had to get you away from the boyfriend of yours." She winked, and disappeared into the back hall.

"What _do_ you want to do with your hair?" asked Monica, turning from the mirror above the short wardrobe to Lily

"I was wondering if you could braid my hair around my head?" Lily asked, miming the motion.

Monica looked as if she was thinking hard. "Well, your hair isn't long enough to just wrap a braid around your head… I wonder if I could manage some sort of French braid…" She gestured Lily into the chair, and began brushing out Lily's long red hair—which she described as being beautiful think and fine. She appeared to plan out her attack, then started braiding.

When she was nearly done, Josey walked back into the room. Alice, who had been waiting for her turn at the shower, walked out of the door, carrying the sleeveless shift that went under her gown. Josey winced at the look of pain on Lily's face.

"She's really good at making the braid really tight. _Ow_," Lily said in response to Josey's questioning glance.

"Oh, good heavens, Lily!" said Monica, exasperatedly. "It can't be that tight. You just have a tender scalp."

"Whatever the reason—Ouch!"

Josey rolled her eyes, then examined the braid. "That looks amazing Monica! How did you do that?"

Monica giggled. "I'm not sure, actually. This is the first time I've done anything like it."

Josey stared at her in wide-eyed amazement.

"Hold still; I'm almost done." Monica finished the braid with a few well placed bobby pins and a thin dark green ribbon, and then walked around to the front to examine her work. It did look very nice.

"You _do_ have a tender scalp, Lily," said Josey. Whenever she would do Lily's hair, the latter always whimpered. Nikeia was the one who always had such a gentle touch with Lily's hair. Thus, Lily usually did her own hair.

For such special occasions, however, she was glad to have someone work with her hair. She hugged Monica fiercely, loving her hairstyle. She was still thanking Monica when Josey pushed her out of the way and took her seat in front of the desk.

Lily glared at the blonde, and pinched her arm.

Monica laughed, and started brushing out Josey's hair. She then started pulling the hair into a bun; Josey gasped at the tight tug.

Lily simply said, "Ha!" Then, she pulled on her own thin under-dress and sat on her bed, deciding to read rather than get into her gown immediately.

Minutes later, Alice walked back into the room, Josey's hair was done, and Monica went to take her shower.

By the time she returned, Lily had curled Alice's hair using a handy charm and the three girls were trying to decide how to pin it up. Monica smiled and gently nudged Josey and Lily out of the way. She began gently styling the hair, forming a very loose bun of sorts, held in place by pearlescent pins. A blue ribbon around Alice's head finished the look.

Josey sighed, seeing she was unneeded, and began getting into her costume. It proved a bit difficult, as it was made of a number of different pieces. Lily took pity on her, and went over to help. A thick petticoat went over the shift, followed by the skirt which was gathered in the back to allow for a full figure and slight train. The bodice laced up the back, but ribbon lacing adorned the front of the top. As Lily helped lace the bodice, she commented on the low cut and figure-enhancing quality.

Josey just chuckled and replied that if one had the body, it might as well be flaunted. She then instructed Lily to tighten it just a bit more. Lily pinched her again, and sighed; Josey had always been a bit vain, but Lily admitted that she was entitled to some of it.

Alice began applying a light layer of Witch Weekly's favorite makeup, and watched as the younger girl deftly charmed her hair into a wildly frizzy but silky mane of hair. She shook her head in amazement, and asked: "So, is there any hairstyle you _can't_ do?"

Monica chuckled. "I've always enjoyed watching my mum do hair. She's works at a Muggle salon. I've just picked up the certain tricks. And there's actually a section in our library on beauty charms."

"Really?" cried Josey, nearly elbowing Lily in the face as she straightened suddenly.

Alice and Monica rolled their eyes.

"Well, anyway, I'm utterly flabbergasted," Alice muttered in awe.

Monica held out a thin, bright orange sash to Alice. "Will you tie this on for me? With this crazy hair, I can't quite manage it."

Alice smiled and helped the younger girl fix the band around her head.

"Oi! Ladies, let's hurry up!" shouted Sirius as he stood in the head's common room. All six boys were there, fidgeting slightly in their new clothing. It wasn't that they were uncomfortable, they were just nervous... for some weird reason that they all somehow understood.

"What's this?" drawled Remus. "Padfoot worried about being late?"

Sirius slugged Remus's shoulder. Remus shot him a smirk that was answered by own of Sirius's own. James rolled his eyes at his two best mates (mimicked by the ever-sarcastic Samuel), while Peter and Frank chuckled.

"He just wants to do the thing we planned," put in James.

Remus's brow furrowed. "What thing?"

"The thing we planned," said Sirius, his smirk widening to a grin.

"Yes, I got that. What have you planned? And when did you have the time to plan anything? I've been with you all afternoon," questioned Remus.

"You'll see; and earlier," was all that Sirius gave before Frank gestured to the hallway.

Monica was the first to step into the common, with the other seventh years girls following.

Monica skipped in her yellow slippers over to Sam, her full skirt and petticoats flouncing around her knees. The vivid magenta was set off by the wide blue-green belt and multicolored shawl. Sam returned her welcoming smile.

Alice's adorable white gown fit her well, and the dusky blue ribbon in her hair, matched by the wide band around her waist, complimented her rosy cheeks. She walked to Frank, and the others saw identical expressions in their eyes. Frank kissed Alice's hand, before pulling her close to him for a light kiss on her lips.

Josey's deep salmon dress accentuated her gorgeous figure—as any of the guys would admit—creating the perfect hourglass shape. She smirked, knowing she was being admired, and sashayed toward the other guys.

James only had eyes for Lily, though he faintly noticed the beauty of the other girls. The deep green of her velvet gown set of the bright red of her hair, and her eyes had never looked so stunning. He stepped forward to meet her, and loved the faint blush on her cheeks.

"You…" He sighed and decided a kiss better explained his emotions than any words. She whispered, "Thank you", and was overwhelmed with affection for this tall man. She moved a piece of black hair off his forehead, then stepped back to look at his full outfit. The white shirt perfectly showed off his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and he had left the top laces undone. His tall boots ended at his knees and the dark green cape was fastened over one shoulder. His hat was set at a rakish angle. He looked utterly handsome.

"You keep staring at me like that, we'll have to find some place private," he muttered, his Marauder's Smirk firmly in place. Lily blushed again and rubbed the back of her neck. James laughed, and kissed her cheek.

They turned to their other friends, all talking softly. Lily admired the collection of costumes. She felt that Sam looked adorably impish in his costume, and she realized that Monica and her girlfriends had planned to dress like gypsies, which Sam and his friends copied. She couldn't wait to see the delightful group of first years all together. Sam's deep purple pants clashed magnificently with his bright, embroidered vest of apple green and yellow, and his full-sleeved shirt of yellow ochre. He was wearing a scarlet cap atop his dark blonde hair. His typical smirk was in place as he lightly teased his friend, Monica.

Remus's dark blue jacket was well-cut, the bright white cravat well tied, and his hair brushed back, and the general effect showcased his handsome features. Peter's dark orange jacket looked good on him, and even helped make him seem a bit slimmer.

Sirius looked the perfect pirate or highwayman, with his black outfit and dashing hat. He gave Lily an enchanting smile and gently kissed her fingers. She giggled, playing the role of enchanted damsel. James frowned, and pulled Lily firmly against his side. Sirius just laughed, and turned to his other friends.

"Well, let's get down to that party, eh?" He began to lead the way, but James stopped him.

"Padfoot, are you forgetting something?"

Sirius raised his eyebrow, freezing for a moment. Then understanding crossed his face and he smirked at James.

James left Lily's side to stand at the main portrait hole opposite Sirius, where they both drew their swords and made an arch above their heads. Their friends chuckled, but filed out under the glinting swords.

"I'm assuming this is the thing you wanted to do," drawled Remus. The two dark-haired boys smirked.

Lily was the last to pass through, and she smiled at both of her dear friends. They sheathed their swords, and bowed. They took Lily's hands and placed them on their arms, escorting her from the room. She preened just a bit, thoroughly enjoying the attention of the two men beside her. She took a moment as they walked through the hallway towards the Gryffindor common room to reflect on the irony of being escorted to the ball by the two men she would have loved to escort to their own cells in Askaban at one point in the past. They had given her so much trouble—which in reality had just been her overreacting to their exaggeration and flair—and now, she considered them dear friends. One of them was, of course, closer.

She looked at the man on her left, smiling happily up at him. He returned the smile, not seeing Josey turn around and look at them.

"You know, Lily… I like the sound of 'Lily Potter'," she threw over her shoulder, the teasing evident in her voice.

"It does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Lily muttered, still watching James watch her.

The other walking before them all stopped and turned to her. It was a few seconds before she realized what she said and blushed furiously. James's own cheeks were tinted pink under his dashing black hat. He took a deep breath and smiled as he put his hand under Lily's chin and tilted it up towards his face. He smiled.

"I've been trying to tell you that for ages. You just never listened." James leaned forward, a laugh evident on his lips, and gently kissed Lily, despite her gently smacking his arm.

Sirius brought his arm out of Lily's loose grasp and shook his head as he walked up to Josey.

"You are a trouble-maker, my dear friend," he said, using a finger to tap the underside of her chin affectionately. "You are also very worthy of the name 'Marauderette.'"

Josey curtseyed—rather sloppily, as it was not something she was used to doing—and smirked at him.

"In fact," Sirius said, turning to the others. "I think Lily and Monica should be inducted into the newly founded Order of the Marauderettes."

"Padfoot, you can't just create a branch of our group without asking us first," objected Remus.

Sirius frowned. "Well, you agree, don't you?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Of course I agree. Any woman who can shut you up with a piece of candy like Monica, keep up with your teasing and sarcasm like Lily, or mimic your trickster ways like Josey simply must be honored."

Sirius smiled broadly, then just as suddenly frowned. "Alice, would you care to join the group?"

Alice laughed. "No, Sirius. I'm not as troublesome as these other ragtag girls."

"These other ragtag girls", or at least two of them, stuck their tongues out at Alice, who laughed again.

"Then," began Sirius. "Josey, Monica, Lily, will you kneel before us and prepare-" He glanced over at Lily and James, who were still sharing a kiss. "Evans!" Sirius shouted. The two broke apart and threw angry glances at Sirius.

"I'm about to induct Josey, Monica and Lily into the Order of the Marauderettes, and I can't do that if Lily is snogging you, Prongs."

"The Order of the what?" asked James.

"Marauderettes. Strong young women who aren't afraid to keep the Marauders on their toes. Women who can keep up with our teasing and quick wit." (He pointedly ignored the snorts of laughter.) "We, the Marauders are willing to accept these women as honored members." Sirius looked at Remus, Peter and James, assuming they'd agree.

They rolled their eyes, but their pleasure and agreement was easily found on their faces.

"But," said Peter, holding up a warning hand. "Can they all smirk the Marauderette Smirk?"

Sirius guffawed, and slapped Peter on the back. "Good thinking, Wormtail." He turned to the girls. "Can you, my dear girls, do the incredibly important Smirk?"

As one, the girls glanced at each other, then Smirked at the four guys. They all smiled back, content.

Sirius then directed the three women to stand before him and the other Maruaders. He Transfigured his handkerchief into a cushion on which Josey could kneel, then gestured to Remus and James to do the same. A replica was made of Sirius's sword, which was handed to Remus.

Sam pulled from inside his vest a small camera that he then expanded. He took up position beside them, ready to shoot the ceremony. Frank and Alice stood by, smiling fondly at their friends, all of whom she thought were delightfully batty.

The Marauders conferred for a moment on what they would say, then Remus, Sirius and James took up position in front of the three kneeling girls. With flowery language, Sirius "knighted" Josey, tapping her shoulders with his sword. Remus inducted Monica (who was blushing and biting her tongue from the suppressed amusement), and James did the honors for his dear Lily.

And so, the Marauders expanded their group to include three young women of impeccable character by an impromptu ceremony in a hallway of Hogwarts.

Sam chuckled wryly before commenting, "I'm glad I brought my camera along."

Alice gasped. "We should take a group photo!"

The other girls gushed, thrilled at the idea. Remus and James shared a pained expression as they turned the cushions back into handkerchiefs.

"What about Nikeia?" asked Sirius quietly, pocketing his piece of cloth.

Everyone's smiles fell.

"We could head up to the hospital wing. Maybe she'll be awake," murmured Josey. "Madam Pomfrey said she was getting better. And if she's not awake, it'll still be better to have her in the picture. If anything it'll show us ten years from now that we _could_ think." Josey gave a shaky laugh, and Remus hugged her with one arm around her shoulders.

"It's a good idea. We're actually not in danger of being late—Sirius was just excited to do his sword salute thing so he rushed us." Remus ducked Sirius's rather feeble punch. "Let's head up to the Hospital Wing."

He, Josey and Sirius led the way.

It was a sign that miracles really did happen, for their fallen comrade was sitting up in her bed, with her eyes closed. Madam Pomfrey, beaming from ear-to-ear, bustled over and hugged Josey.

"She's awake. She just woke up a few minutes ago, so she's still very weak. But she's awake." The elderly matron started to cry, and Sirius hugged her. He smiled through his tears of joy and ran over to Nikeia's bed. Josey and Madam Pomfrey started to walk over, but James and Remus stopped them.

"Wait a mo'," urged James.

Sirius leaned forward and kissed Nikeia's forehead, his hands holding the sides of her head. She slowly opened her eyes. They soon started to water as she saw who was sitting in front of her.

"Oh, come on, I look better than that," he muttered, smirking. "I know you've never looked more beautiful."

Nikeia's blush stood out sharply on her pale skin, but her next statement held a great deal of her usual personality: "Ever the charmer."

The tears in his eyes and the expression on his face preceded him wrapping his arms around her tightly.

By the time he finally pulled away, everyone else had tears in their eyes. Nikeia looked around Sirius and smiled brightly. Everyone rushed forward at once to greet and hug Nikeia.

Madam Pomfrey hovered behind their circle, carefully watching Nikeia. Soon enough, her patient's eyelids began to droop and she yawned. Before Madam Pomfrey was able to begin bustling, Sam pushed his camera into her hands.

"Will you take a picture for us?"

She sighed, but smiled and held up the camera. She got a few seconds of smiles on film before Nikeia actually fell asleep on Sirius's shoulder.

Then, her usual strict hospital matron demeanor came back. She handed Sam his camera, then started ushering the students from the room with whispers and soft "shoos".

Madam Pomfrey turned from the costumed students, noticing that Sirius was not with them.

Instead, Sirius remained on the bed, slouching a bit to accommodate Nikeia's head on his chest. Madam Pomfrey placed her hands on her hips, and sighed.

"We'll see you downstairs later, eh mate?" asked James, making Madam Pomfrey's mind up for her. She seemed to understand what he did, but just smiled and nodded.

"Oh, very well. Sirius, you can stay. The rest of you, enjoy the ball." Suddenly, she lip began to quiver, and she began flapping her hands at them.

The chuckling students waved over their shoulders as they left the hospital.

Outside the doors, James attempted to wipe a tear from his cheek. He used the palm of his hands, brushing it roughly across his face, perhaps attempting to cry in a masculine manner. Unfortunately, Lily noticed.

"You're not crying, are you James?"

Instead of denying it, he brusquely said, "I couldn't let you take all the tears."

Lily smiled, and wrapped her arms around him. He lightly kissed her hair, then stretched his other arm out to Josey. Arm-in-arm, they walked through the empty hallways towards the Gryffindor common room.

"Well, I do believe that is the best Christmas present I have ever seen," admitted Lily, leaning her head against James's shoulder.

"I will most certainly agree with you, oh Marauderette."


	31. Masquerade

**Chapter Thirty-One – Masquerade**

Long before Nikeia's visitors reached the Gryffindor common room, Josey began skipping a bit faster, nearly tugging James's arm from his shoulder in her eagerness to get to her date, Antoine. James laughed at her, unlinking his arm and shoving her forward when they finally turned the corner in sight of the portrait. She giggled and ran forward to find the member of the Quidditch team that had asked her to the ball.

Sam and Monica ran off to find their own friends. Lily followed them with her eyes, impatient to see the other first years that had dressed up as gypsies. She was not disappointed. They looked as adorable as she imagined, even if they looked far cleaner and neater than gypsies were traditional known to be. The boys all wore brightly and delightfully clashing combinations of vests, shirts and breeches. Monica's girlfriends looked cute and charming in full skirts, dainty slippers, fringed shawls and colorful headbands. Lily was almost sad to see that none of them carried tambourines.

Remus found Kayla, who looked stunning in a dusky blue corseted dress, decorated with small pearls and embroidery. He gallantly offered his arm, and walked her back to James and Lily, Frank and Alice, and Peter.

Josey and Antoine joined them looking rather entranced with each other, if Josey's blush and giddy smile was any indication. Antoine's wide eyes and silly smile gave away his excitement and adoration. His champagne-colored jacket, brown knee-length pants, white stockings and golden-buckled shoes emphasized his tanned skin, curly brown hair and green eyes.

"Sorry we kept you waiting for so long, Antoine," offered Lily.

Antoine nodded. "It's all right; it's only been a few minutes anyway. Josey mentioned that you visited Nikeia. I'm glad to hear she's doing better. Before tonight, Nikeia was probably the prettiest girl in the school." He paused, smirking at Josey's slight pout. "Josey has definitely taken that spot."

Josey melted against his shoulder, her eyes only for him.

As the group started walking towards the Great Hall, James leaned over and whispered into Lily's ear: "Thank you for never looking so sappily at me."

Lily chuckled, and kissed his cheek.

When they reached their destination, they found many others from the other houses standing about, laughing. Lily gasped at the array of beautiful clothing. Girls were all wearing exquisite long gowns or charming shorter dresses, and the men looked dashing in various forms of apparel. It seems that most of the younger students had decided to match their costumes.

Lily recognized Claire Salamander and Adam Tait standing against the wall getting a bit of snogging in before the Feast and Ball. They were both wearing shades of green; Claire a mint green, off-the-shoulder gown from the American Civil War Era (Lily wondered if she knew just how Muggle that gown was) and Adam in a forest green militia uniform.

Right then, Professor McGonagall came out of the Great Hall and beckoned to the prefects and James and Lily. They all walked over and McGonagall started explaining that they were to take the lead and start the first dance after dinner. When that was done, she tapped her wand against the great doors, and they swung forward to reveal the newly-decorated Great Hall.

It looked amazing. All around the walls, icicles had been hung, as well as wreaths and garlands of fresh smelling pine. Lily caught sight of a few mistletoe sprigs hanging at random intervals from the enchanted ceiling. Lily smiled. _Those_ hadn't been planned, but she didn't think she'd mind.

Large circular tables that would seat ten people were covered in deep green and red cloths, with silver cutlery and dishes laid out. The floor of the Great Hall had been polished to a sparkling standard, and the raised dais for the orchestra was set up along the left wall. There was a rather large orchestra set up already, and the musicians were smiling as they held their instruments. A couple was standing talking to the orchestra master. James and Lily knew they would be the vocal talent of the evening.

The two Heads, led by Professor McGonagall and followed by the prefects, their partners and the rest of the school, walked into the Great Hall. James and Lily made their way over to a table near the orchestra and took their seats. Kayla and Antoine joined them at their table, for they each wanted to be with their partner. One empty seat was left, which Sirius would eventually occupy.

"Welcome, students and teachers, to another gathering of our school," started Headmaster Dumbledore from the staff table at the far end of the Hall. "As it usually is, speeches and talk are to be saved for after we eat. The same applies now. But, I have four words to say that are really quite my favorites; _Nitwit, Oddment, Blubber, and Tweak_." As Dumbledore sat down, everyone chuckled appreciatively at their headmaster.

Then, they expected the tables to be filled with the magical food like it did at mealtimes. People glanced around wonderingly at each other, before fixing their eyes to the teachers. They were gazing at their menus, and once they spoke something, a dish was placed on their plate. Everyone got the way this meal worked now. James picked up his menu, muttered "chicken parmesan" to his plate, and nearly instantly, a very good looking meal appeared, complete with green beans and boiled potatoes.

The orchestra played throughout the meal; soft classical songs. Lily enjoyed those, and it seemed everyone else did. Perhaps there was a charm on the instruments... After most people had finished eating, the conductor started up a new song, and McGonagall gave subtle nods to the prefects. Remus and James caught this, and they both rose. With coordinating bows, they extended their hands to their girls. Kayla and Lily smiled (fighting giggles) and rose. James led Lily out onto the floor, before spinning her once and starting to dance. Gradually, other couples joined in after the prefects.

After a few dances, James and Lily reclaimed their seats.

James noticed that very few first years were dancing, and after waiting one more song, he reached out and kicked Sam's chair. The eleven-year-old jolted and turned to James. He glared at Sam, and then looked pointedly out at the dance floor. Sam raised an eyebrow and James repeated his look, jerking his head toward Monica as well. Lily, who had noticed, rolled her eyes, smiling.

James sighed and then stood once more. He lightly smacked the back of Sam's head and then held his hand out to Monica.

Monica gave James a look that was almost as sappy as Josey's to Antoine earlier, but James admitted that it was utterly adorable. She placed her own hand in his larger palm and he led her out to the floor. Sam was gaping slightly. James tossed Sam a pitying look as he gently pulled Monica closer to him and began to turn her through the dance.

"You aren't expecting me to dance with you, are you?" asked Sam, leaning over in his chair to talk to Lily. She raised her eyebrow as she looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. She saw him gulp, and figured she couldn't continue to tease him.

"No, Sam, you don't have dance with me. James is just being Potter; he loves teasing people. Just enjoy yourself."

He smiled gratefully, and turned back to his friends, who seemed rather surprised that not only were they being talked to by a seventh year, one of their own was dancing with one of the most attractive men in the school.

Before long, James returned to Monica to her table and reached out to Lily. She laid her head against his shoulder as they walked out to the floor, and sighed happily as the song changed to an old Muggle classic—disguised as a Wizarding song through some clever rewriting in places. She was pleasantly surprised to see that everyone was able to keep up with the dance steps; some might have seemed a bit surprised that they knew the dance, but it probably crossed the minds of only a few people that the floor _had_ been enchanted. If anyone had asked, James would've pointed accusingly at Lily and said: "It was her idea."

Sam had taken James's lead and brought Monica to the floor. They were dancing shyly, but their movement got some of the other younger students onto the floor.

As James listened to the song, he began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" asked Lily, looking up slightly into James's hazel eyes.

"'I get a kick, though it's clear to me that you obviously do not adore me,'" recited James.

Lily gave him a funny look, but then realized what he was trying to say.

"I was so silly," admitted Lily.

"No," argued James. "You were wonderful. That's why I loved you so much. You remained faithful to that which you believed in."

"All right, James," interrupted Remus, moving closer with Kayla in his arms. "There's no need to get all mushy on the dance floor."

"Oh, really? What if I what to get all mushy, eh? What if," started James, looking momentarily thoughtful, "what if I want to tell Lily that I want to be with her forever? That she is the only one for me? That she is the most incredibly beautiful girl I have ever seen, with her red hair and green eyes and gorgeous face?" James would have probably continued to speak clichéd oaths, but Lily pinched his shoulder. He looked down at her in hurt, but she raised her eyebrow. "I could also just kiss her and leave it at that." Of course, James acted before anyone could say anything and kissed Lily. Remus just rolled his eyes, before continuing to lead Kayla across the dance floor.

After a second once-Muggle-classic-now-Wizarding-hit, Lily and James sat down, and watched their friends. James noticed that Sam had left his shrunken camera at the table. He smirked and picked it up. Expanding it, he looked through the viewfinder at Sam and Monica, dancing more comfortably with each other now. Lily joined in his smirking and watched as the two younger students continued to dance, unaware that they were being watched.

Not long after, McGonagall announced that the first, second and third years had to return to their dormitories. Sam and Monica returned to the table to say goodnight, goodbye and "Happy Christmas", for they would be leaving the following morning for the vacation. James had all the little gypsies line up for a group shot, and then they walked off with the other lower classmen.

Not far into another reworked Muggle song, Sirius walked into the Great Hall. The biggest smile James would swear he had ever seen was plastered on Sirius's face as he took a seat. He spoke to his plate and a hot fudge sundae appeared. The others found dessert to be a great idea, and also ordered sundaes.

"How's Nikeia?" asked James, between spoonfuls.

"She's great. She slept for about an hour, and then woke up for about fifteen minutes," explained Sirius.

"Did she ask what happened?" asked Remus.

"Yeah," answered Sirius, "but I was forbidden by Madam Pomfrey to say anything. She said it right in front of Nikeia, too, so naturally she wanted to know even more. But she fell asleep before she could argue too much." Sirius chuckled, as did everyone else at the table. Kayla and Antoine had, of course, noticed her prolonged absence, but knew very little. "She slept until about eight thirty, and then we talked again for a half hour. After that, I came down here." Sirius finished off his sundae, and then pushed back from the table to stretch his legs.

After a few minutes, the present song was over and Frank and Alice joined their table. The male singer called up anyone who could sing. A few people rushed up, but he picked three girls. They took their spots, and James saw that it was that Laila girl, wearing a gold and white layered gown. Two of her friends came up with her: a brunette in a blue off-the-shoulder gown, and another blonde in a dark magenta crumpled-silk gown.

When James asked who they were, Kayla replied with: "Amanda Hargreeves, Alyssa Duke and Laila Albright. They're in my year—sixth—and are Gryffindors. They've been friends since first year."

Sirius nodded, then stood. "Well, Lils, you're not my girl Nikeia, but you'll have to do." He extended his hand to her, not minding James's look of amazement. "Dance with me?" Lily threw the Smirk over to James, and nodded. As Sirius led Lily off to the dance floor to dance to the song the trio was singing, James looked astounded.

"I am amazed that he can do that. Just absolutely amazed!"

"So am I, Prongs," started Remus, "So am I."

As if to prove that he was as good as Sirius, James stood and offered his hand to Kayla. She laughed, but allowed him to walk her to the floor. Remus looked on, flabbergasted, as Frank laughed. Remus looked to him and then stood, his own Marauder's Smirk on his lips.

Frank had the dumbfounded look on his face next as Alice walked away with Remus. He looked over at Peter, who shrugged before ordering a second dessert. Frank narrowed his eyes, then walked purposely toward Josey, who was giggling to herself. He offered her his black-gloved hand, and she accepted. Antoine gasped indignantly as Frank and Josey danced away. Peter laughed.

"Peter," Antoine said, "You're supposed to have a date that I can steal. Where is she?"

"Um, I didn't bring one," stated Peter through his chuckling. Antoine sighed exasperatedly and stood. He looked around briefly, before spotting the girl he wanted. Smoothly, he cut in and took Lily from Sirius.

Sirius gasped, putting his hands on his hips. He looked around, a thoughtful look on his features. He walked back to his own table, and grabbed his hat, mask and sword.

"Well, Peter," he said, tying the mask on his face. "I'm off."

"Where to?"

"The Hospital Wing. Perhaps I shall find Nikeia awake. She'll be just the girl to dance with."

"But she can't dance!"

"Thank you, Wormtail for the completely forgotten piece of information," retorted Sirius, sarcastically.

"You're crazy," stared Peter, taking a sip of the glass in front of him, as he shrugged resignedly.

"Yes, my dear friend, I'm afraid I'm the craziest of the Marauders," sighed Sirius, twitching his cloak straight. Peter snorted into his glass.

"Careful; don't say that too loud. James will be over here in a heartbeat to challenge that."

"Let him. I already stole his date once. And I didn't mind dancing with her and I won't mind dancing with her again! You know; that's actually not a bad idea. I think I'll stay a bit longer—at least until I get another dance with Lily. You're right; Nikeia is still tired." Sirius stated as he took off his hat and reclaimed his seat.

Not long after, he found out that those tricky little house elves made it so that only non-alcoholic drinks were served. Therefore, when he said "champagne" to his thin wineglass, and took a sip of the tan drink, he found that it was sparkling grape juice. He frowned at the drink.

"I already tried it," admitted Peter, holding up the flute he was drinking from. "Anyway, sparkling grape juice tastes better than champagne."

Sirius was surprised that his small, mousy friend had asked for champagne, but nodded admittedly. The bubbly drink _did_ taste better than champagne.

During that time, the present song ended and another 'oldie' started up, urging a lost love to return. James gladly obliged, finding Lily, twirling her around and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

Taking James's idea, the rest of the mismatched dancers found their original partners.

After that song, Sirius took his opportunity. Before Lily had a chance to even think of retaking her chair, he took her hands in his own, avoiding James's boot as he returned Lily to the dance floor.

James frowned darkly, watching his best mate and his girl dance across the floor. "Cheer up, James!" cried Remus, slapping his friend's shoulder. "Let Sirius have some fun. It's nearly Christmas after all."

James glared up at his mate, before having a glass of sparkling grape juice pushed into his hands. He slumped back into his chair, but smiled.

After returning to the table and catching her breath, Lily gave a toast. "To this year. To our old friends and our new friends..." She raised her glass and everyone drank. James then stood.

"And," added James, "to the year coming, and the year after that, and the one after that." He smiled and the rest of the group chuckled.

He turned to look only at Lily. He tipped his glass to her and he whispered: "To you." He leaned over and kissed Lily again, as the rest of the seventh years smiled and saluted their glasses.

**Author's Note: **Kayla is **I_WiSh_I_WeRe_****a_MaRaUdEr**,** Lantern, MrsPadfoot19**,and** honeydukeschololate** are readers who have the distintion of being Laila, Amanda and Alyssa.


	32. Christmas Tidings

**Chapter Thirty-Two – Christmas Tidings**

When Lily Evans awoke on Christmas morning in her darkened bedroom, the first thing she realized was that there was a heavy weight over her legs. She wiggled slightly and raised a hand to wipe away a bit of sleep. When she opened her eyes, she was momentarily startled.

Lying right next to her under a thick patchwork quilt was James. He was still asleep, his mouth slightly open and his hair—if it was possible—even messier than normal. Lily chuckled to herself, remembering that he had put up a fight to be allowed to lie next to her, instead of on the floor. Knowing James wouldn't wake up, she placed a kiss on his nose.

Over James's shoulder, she could see Remus's feet resting on the arm of her couch. Piled at his feet was a stack of presents.

She then turned to the problem of her legs. She looked down and gasped. A large black dog laid at the foot of her bed, warming her feet, a contented expression on its large head.

Lily stared, and then realized that James had told her that Sirius's Animagus was a large dog. The three boys had begged to spent the night in her room, not wanting her to be alone on Christmas morning. If James was next to her, Remus was on the couch, and the human form of Sirius was loath to sleep on the floor, then he must have turned into his Animagus form so he could share the bed.

The dog shifted slightly and snuggled a bit further underneath the grey blanket covering him.

Lily shook her head, exhaling in laughter. She looked contentedly at three of her beloved friends in her room, and then closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

When she next awoke, James was looking sleepily at her. She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. Before their lips met, a soft bark sounded through the room. When Lily pulled back, she looked to the foot of her bed. Sitting there was the same black dog. As she sat up, she caught James's shocked look pointed at the dog. The dog's eyes widened slightly and he shifted his head from side to side as if looking for a way out. Lily wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction. She crawled out onto the top of her covers with an admiring sound.

"Oh, what an adorable dog! I wonder how in the world he got in here!" She reached forward to rub the dog's neck with both hands. The dog backed up slightly, and then looked over Lily's shoulder to James. James was laughing silently as the large black dog was rubbed and petted by Lily.

An ill-concealed snort from in front of the fireplace drew James's gaze. Remus was sitting up on the couch, his eyes half-closed but his mouth was curved into a smile. Remus caught James's glance and smothered his laughter at Lily's antics with a hand. Remus figured, after all, that Lily had no idea who this dog was. He was wrong, of course.

As Lily continued to pet the dog, James gradually came out of the cover of his blanket. He reached over and started petting the dog as well.

"Isn't he just beautiful?" asked Lily. "Look at him... so strong and that coat is amazing!" The dog, being rather conceited, puffed out his chest and panted happily as Lily scratched behind his ears.

A soft knock on Lily's bedroom door caused a stop in the admiration of the dog. Lily called admittance to the guest, and she gasped when Nikeia walked in, being supported by Professor McGonagall. Lily smiled broadly and jumped out of her bed. Unfortunately, the dog beat her to the girl. Nikeia got down on her knees to pet and hug the animal.

McGonagall looked furious.

"Miss Evans," she started, placing her hands on her tartan-clad hips. "What in the name of Merlin is _that_ animal doing in _this_ room? And why are Potter and Lupin here? Miss Evans, you know that I do not accept this situation. Boys in your room? And a dog?

"Oh, Professor!" said Lily turning away from Nikeia and the dog. "It _is_ Christmas! They're not doing any harm. James and Remus, I mean. They didn't want me to wake up alone on Christmas, what with Josey at home with her family and Nikeia in the Hospital Wing. And the dog, well, he... he belongs to Remus. I believe his name is Truffles-"

"Snuffles," supplied James, swallowing his laughter for a moment. McGonagall raised her eyebrow at the strange name.

"That's right, Snuffles; I knew it was something silly like that," stated Lily, flapping a hand. "Anyway, Remus's parents have gone to France on vacation for the week, and they didn't want to bring Snuffles along, so, well, they Flooed him over here last night. To Professor Dumbledore's office."

Snuffles, James and Remus had froze in anticipation of Lily's rather far-fetched—and yet plausible—lie.

"Please, Professor. Can't they stay?" asked Lily. The others nodded pleadingly.

Professor McGonagall looked around at the upturned faces of her students and her lips twitched. "Very well. Just make sure that dog doesn't ruin any of the furniture."

Everyone sighed and chuckled at Snuffle's bark of indignation. "Wait a moment... Where is Black?" asked McGonagall after looking around.

Everyone froze again. Whoops.

"Um, he's... in the bathroom!" lied James, pointing towards the door that led to the second hallway.

"Oh. I wouldn't have thought he would be up this early."

"You know," explained James. "When you got to go, you've got to go."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Thank you, Potter." She sighed. "Very well; Happy Christmas. Breakfast is at ten. Professor Dumbledore claims that he doesn't mind what you wear." McGonagall looked a bit disapproving at this before she nodded and turned.

As she walked out, Snuffles broke away from Nikeia's hold and trotted up to McGonagall. He yapped up at her, and she smiled again and patted his head. She gave a rare chuckle as she walked out of the room and down the hall.

"Oh Nikeia!" cried Lily as she fell to her knees to hug her friend. "We were hoping to see you sometime soon! Out of the hospital wing, I mean."

Lily and Nikeia hugged each once more, a tight, loving hug, and then pulled each other to their feet. They walked over to Lily's four-poster bed, and sat on top of it. As they wrapped Nikeia in a blanket and Remus came over to join them, no one noticed that Snuffles slunk out the back door. A few seconds later, Sirius walked back into the room and joined them on the bed by flopping down right next to Nikeia after giving her an enthusiastic hug; he wasn't in the room when she came in, after all.

"There you are, Sirius. McGonagall was just in here wondering about where you were," claimed Remus, holding back a chuckle.

"Was she really? Hmm, oh well. Nikeia!" exclaimed Sirius, reaching out to hold her hand. "What are you doing here?"

"Madam Pomfrey said I could come up; I'm doing fine. I just can't believe I was out for so long. What's happened?" she asked, looking around at all the faces.

"Well, I guess it won't hurt to tell her. She _is_ much better anyway," rationalized James.

Lily nodded and started the story from when they found her in the hallway.

Nikeia winced at the description, and leaned back against Sirius, who had sat up and settled behind her, leaning against one of the posts of the bed.

Nikeia continued to wince and grimace as they went through the story of the duel with Voldemort, and then the scar, which she insisted on seeing. Not later—right then and there. Lily sighed and turned around; she lifted up her shirt, which exposed her back and the scar. Nikeia gulped and Sirius tightened his grip around her. James took over the story telling of the decision for the masquerade, and then Sirius getting all depressed. (Sirius wasn't too happy about James telling them that and as they wrestled on the floor Lily continued the story.)

She told Nikeia about the trip to Hogsmeade, and then the knighting of herself, Monica, and Josey. When Nikeia asked about the kids, Lily told her that they had in fact gone home for the break. Nikeia nodded and the two girls and Remus watched as Sirius and James continued to wrestle.

When they appeared to not want to stop, Remus spoke up. "You know, the house elves brought our presents here. I wonder what I got..." Remus's voice trailed away as he walked over to his bed on the couch, stopping only to turn and watch as James and Sirius called a truce. He chuckled knowingly as Sirius shot off the floor to sit on Lily's bed once more, and James walked to the foot of the bed to distribute the three piles of presents that belonged to Sirius, Lily and himself.

Before they could start, a small pop was heard, and a single present appeared. Sirius raised an eyebrow and looked down at a tag on the topmost pile.

"Ah, I thought that looked familiar." He pulled himself upright and handed the slim package to Nikeia, explaining that it was hers. The black-haired girl smiled and took it into her hands.

"Hey!" cried Remus, from the edge of the couch. "Why don't we open the presents one-by-one?"

"That's not a bad idea," claimed James, and everyone else nodded. "You first." He gestured to Remus with a present.

Remus sighed, but opened his present, stating that it was from Lily. He ignored Sirius's proclamation that it "looks suspiciously like a book". It indeed was. Remus looked up to Lily, and she smiled a kind and understanding smile.

"What is it?" asked Nikeia. Remus hesitantly turned it over so that the title faced the group on the bed. _My Life as a Werewolf: The Life of Gregory McIntire_. Nikeia looked confused. "Why did you get him a book about wer... werewolves?"

A look of thought and shock came over Nikeia's face, as everyone else froze. She looked down at her crossed legs, and pondered the thought. Then, she suddenly looked up at Remus, a strange look on her face. In a fluid movement, she rose from the bed and came over to Remus. She then put her arms around his neck and hugged him. Although the brown-haired Marauder was surprised, he hugged back after a few moments. James, Lily and Sirius let out their held-in breaths. When Nikeia pulled away, Remus softly whispered: "Thank you."

"Oh, Remus," whispered Nikeia back. "You're no different. You're the same loveable, great-to-be-around Remus Lupin."

Remus smiled, but then he turned to Lily. "How did you know? A better question, I guess, is how long have you known?"

Lily smiled kindly at him. "I've only known for sure since earlier this year. A number of things led me to it. I didn't know how to tell you, really, so I thought the book would be best."

Remus smiled back and her, and nodded. "Thank you." He chuckled. "I suppose I should've known that you would figure out on your own."

"Hey!" cried Nikiea. "What about me? I figured it out on my own, too, you know!"

Remus laughed, and pulled Nikeia close again. She laughed and squeezed him.

"You better watch out, Sirius; you just might have some competition!" laughed Lily.

Sirius scowled. Nikeia smiled and walked back to the bed. After she sat down, she leaned forward and placed a tentative kiss on Sirius's lips.

"Then, again, maybe not," amended Lily, watching as the two black-haired people parted with smiles.

"Darn!" muttered Remus, snapping his fingers. He gave a genuine smile as everyone else laughed, and then carried his gifts over to the bed and sat down in between Lily and Nikeia. Remus didn't think anyone else could imagine just how happy he was that both Nikeia and Lily had accepted his condition as easily as they had. His heart glowed with the thought.

Lily opened her first present, which was from Sirius, and laughed. It was a pot of red ink. Ever since Lily first started to get better acquainted with the Marauders, she was consequentially nominated to be the Homework Checker. Sirius had even Transfigured one of her ink pots into red ink, hence the reason for buying her a new one, just when the old one ran out. Sirius claimed that he felt obligated to replace the jar as it was his idea and he was the one who caused Lily to use up most of the ink.

James opened his present from Josey, which was a bottle of hair gel. James laughed; Josey got even more agitated than Lily over his messy locks. James didn't think he'd have the heart to tell her that it probably wouldn't work.

Sirius received a towel from Remus with the explanation that if Sirius ever planned on sitting on a pier again, he should bring this with him.

Nikeia opened her one gift and her eyes started to water. It was a photo album of the pictures taken the night of the Masquerade, including the one Josey had taken of Sirius, Lily and James skipping along the path from Hogsmeade. A few pictures from the past years at Hogwarts filled the pages as well. The last one was the picture of the entire group in the hospital wing. Sirius leaned over and hugged her gently. She hugged his arm one-handedly and looked to the rest of the group. She managed to whisper a "thank you", before smiling broadly, even through her soft tears.

The rest of Remus's presents included a box of Bertie Botts from Sirius ("Next time, make sure you get that absolutely horrid one I got on the train ride over!"), a bottle of Scar Liniment, and a stuffed white rabbit from James (Nikeia had to be filled in on that conversation and years-old joke), a large roll of parchment from Josey (the note read: "I know you're running out, and this is a never diminishing roll!"), a book in Latin that Remus had been interested in from Peter, and a book of cliché's from Frank and Alice ("Lily gave us the idea that one day a while ago"). Remus _had_ shown a dislike of silly little clichés.

Lily received a bottle of her favorite body wash from Josey, a bottle of Zonko's Chill Pills—_Guaranteed to relieve stress for anyone! Just pop one in your mouth, and you're chilled!_—from Sirius. ("I figured you'd need them for NEWTs.") Remus gave her a small journal with a set of new quills. Lastly, she received a bottle of bubble bath from James. Attached to it, was a card that read: "Lily, this is given to you in honor of those 'dead days' you had after we lost our parents. But, I've something else for you. I'll give it to you later. Much love, forever and ever, James." Lily looked over to James, a questioning look on her face. James just smiled and turned back to the other people, who were looking over at Remus's book of clichés.

Sirius received, along with the towel, a pink chew toy with the note "From Prongs, to Padfoot—I know you hate pink!" Nikeia looked at that one with a raised eyebrow, but she didn't press the subject, figuring someone was just fooling around. They were guys after all. Remus gave him a book entitled "101 Ways to Really Win a Woman's Heart". Sirius looked up somewhat indignantly at that. Remus replied with: "I had bought it for you during the summer. Before Nikeia," he admitted, nodding in Nikeia's direction. Sirius nodded, accepting the answer, before he leaned forward again and kissed Nikeia. Lily gave him a brightly colored blanket; "In honor of the first time you attempted that spell. I hope it keeps you warm. Love, Lily." Sirius smiled at Lily with a raised eyebrow. She smiled broadly back.

James's presents included a book of spells from Remus. James sighed, and raised an eyebrow at Moony. The latter flipped over a bit of wrapping. Spelled to the paper was a note saying: "Before you raise that eyebrow at me, open it up; you might like the spells." James shook his head at the way Moony knew what he was going to do. After James flipped open the book, and started to turn the pages, his eyes widened. It was a book of spells that had to do with secrecy and the like. There was even a spell that enlarged an invisibility cloak, though the author didn't know if it would work on genuine invisibility cloaks, their being very rare. Sirius gave James a new set of Quidditch gloves, along with a replacement bottle of broomstick polisher; "Sorry I never returned that other bottle; I'm not quite sure where it went…" Lily present was a small wooden box. When James opened it, he found a simple collection of old Quidditch cards. He looked at Lily in surprise. "I may never have shown a liking for you playing Quidditch, but I did enjoy it at one time; before I met you and your ego. My father bought me these; he had a fondness for the baseball cards he received from his brother, my uncle. I thought you'd like these." James thanked her fondly with a lingering kiss, knowing that it meant a bit more than she gave away.

Peter gave everyone a Christmas Variety Box from Honeyduke's.

Samuel and Monica gave everyone a copy of the photo album; Monica's art work decorated the pages. While the pictures were the same as those in Nikeia's, these albums didn't hold evidence of the hours of love they poured into it for someone they hardly knew.

After all the presents were exchanged, Nikeia looked around the room at her close friends. "Hey; where's that dog?" she asked, noticing that there was no big black dog around anymore. Sirius looked to Remus and froze.

"Good question...he's..." Remus trailed off as he groped for an acceptable lie.

"Moony, mate... she already knows about you... we might as well tell her the whole truth," reasoned James.

"What about Lily?" asked Sirius. Lily ducked her head sheepishly. "You already know? Everything?"

Lily nodded. Sirius sighed. Nikeia looked confused.

"Well, we should have known better than to keep something from Lily, eh?" Remus smiled and nudged Lily's leg with his toe. She looked up and smiled back. Nikeia raised her eyebrows and a look of expectancy came over her pale face.

Remus satisfied her wondering. "Nikeia, a few years ago, James, Sirius, and Peter found out about my lycanthropy. They went through quite a bit of trouble to learn to become Animagi."

Nikeia gasped and tore her gaze away from Remus to James and Sirius. It was their turn to duck their heads.

"Did you manage it?" she asked.

Sirius nodded as he got down off the bed. In a few heartbeats, a black dog was standing with its paws on top of the coverlet, looking up at Nikeia. She gasped and stared. The dog barked and nudged her hand with its nose.

"Snuffles?_?_" she gasped. "They couldn't find a better name for you; they had nothing except _Snuffles_? Some great friends you have," said Nikeia, through her laughter. She reached out and rubbed Snuffle's head. The dog jumped onto the bed and lay down next to Nikeia and continued to be petted by the girl. "What about you, James?"

"Me? Um, I'm a stag." James sounded slightly sheepish.

"A stag? Wow. That's got to be beautiful," she whispered to herself.

The keen ears of Snuffles heard that and raised his head, alarmed.

"Not as beautiful as you, of course." Snuffles replaced his head on his paws and smiled, or at least smiled as much as a dog could.

James smiled rather pompously, and Lily hit his shoulder. _Conceited_ _Marauders… _she thought.

Nikeia asked about Peter, and was told he turned into a rat.

"But," said Nikeia, confusedly, "what do you do to help Remus?"

"We keep him company," confessed James. "Without us, he would bite himself to pieces, the poor thing. We calm him down, and then, well, just stay with him."

Nikeia smiled. "You guys are so wonderful, to do something like that for a friend. It's heartwarming."

Apparently, Snuffles had never heard the explanation of what he did described as 'heartwarming' before, and he squirmed on the cover.

Nikeia laughed. Impulsively, she threw her arms around the dog's neck and squeezed. Snuffle's yapped playfully and pushed her over into Remus. He caught her and laughed as the dog nuzzled Nikeia, tickling her. James and Lily laughed as Remus joined in. It lasted a few minutes, before Lily glanced over at her bedside table and her clock. Seeing that it was almost ten, she slowly got out of bed and pulled on her terry-cloth bath robe over her pajamas. James followed suit; he got out of bed, but instead of pulling on a robe, he pulled Lily to him and hugged her tightly. She laughed and gently kissed his lips. They made their way to the door, leaving Sirius—who had transformed back—and Remus to torture poor Nikeia.

As Lily got to the door, she gasped, turned around, and trotted over to her desk. She pulled off the surface a small grey object, which expanded to the size and shape of Sam's camera. James laughed, knowing that that was just what it was, and watched as Lily got a good photo of the three friends, laughing so hard they cried, on her bed. When she was done, she set the camera down and ran back over to James.

"We're leaving now!" he called over his shoulder.

"Leaving to go where?" asked Sirius, falling back against the bed, still laughing. Nikeia rolled over to lay her head on his chest and continued to laugh. Remus fell back against the post of the bed and looked to James and Lily, smiling broadly all the while.

"Breakfast" was the response that caused Sirius, Nikeia and Remus to fly off the bed and run past James and Lily into the hallway. The latter two just laughed and followed at a much more leisurely pace.

Breakfast was a calm affair. Dumbledore, McGonagall, the game-keeper Hagrid, and a few other teachers sat at a single circular table, set for a much smaller amount of people than normal, but still quite large. The five Gryffindors were joined by a few more from their house, and a number of students from the other three houses.

All the students were still dressed in their pajamas, with robes or sweaters draped over their shoulders. Dumbledore wore a royal blue robe, spangled with bright silver stars, and his long beard was braided neatly. His rabbit-eared slippers would have caused giggles had his students been able to see them. The flannel shirt that Hagrid wore over a nightshirt and trousers could have easily wrapped around all four Marauders. Professor McGonagall's neat green dressing gown and a white shawl hid her nightgown completely, but the really shocking part was her hair; rather than in a severe knot on top of her head, it was in a thick plait down her back.

The breakfast was delicious, of course. Waffles, pancakes, French toast were accompanied by bacon, ham and sausages. The syrup bottles were never empty, a quality that Sirius abused with relish.

The talk of the table was mainly on Christmas gifts, everyone giving an overview of what they got. The students were most surprised when Dumbledore claimed that his most appreciated gift was a pair of thick wool socks.

Sirius was the only one who laughed, saying: "Aren't those just the best type? They're so warm and comfortable. I wish I had gotten a pair." His face was a bit downcast as he spoke, and the others just looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"What?" he asked, throwing up his hands in a shrug. "I like wool socks!"

Remus leaned over to James and whispered: "To wear as a human, or chew on as a dog, I wonder?" James burst into silent laughter. Sirius, who had heard that, just glared.

After breakfast, the rest of the group went upstairs, while James and Lily walked outside in the courtyard. The snow lay over everything, and the fountain's jets of water were frozen in graceful, magical arches. James conjured a very large blanket and wrapped it around the both of them as they stood in each other's arms. James kissed Lily gently, then asked how her day was.

She chuckled, explaining that he had been next to her throughout.

"But how are you?" he urged.

"Oh James." She smiled up at him lovingly. "My day started with laughter, then the thrill of seeing my best friend out of the Hospital Wing. It continued with a wonderful breakfast and now I'm standing with you, absolutely happy."

His smile was such that her knees went weak, and she was very glad for his hold on her waist. "Then, I'd like to give you that present I promised you earlier…"

Lily's heart leapt, even as her brow furrowed slightly in anticipation. James reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small mahogany box.

He paused a moment, noticing her anxious look. Then, he lifted the lid, and heard her gasp.

An emerald-green bead sat amidst small pearls on a silver pendant. It was oval-shaped, not much bigger than the pad of his thumb. A fine chain of silver disappeared beneath the black velvet pad.

Lily smiled and reached out to touch the necklace.

"James..." she started, before her voice trailed off.

"It was my mum's. I found it when we where there for the funeral. My father had given it to her before they were engaged. A promise ring kind of thing. It's passed down through the generations, and there's no one I'd rather continue the tradition with than you, Lily Evans." He paused, watching her eyes begin to water. "I love you, Lils. And I'm pretty sure I always will."

Her eyes were wide; he had gotten close to saying something similar at the masquerade, and he had brought it up that one day long ago, but he had never actually said the words. And oh, did they make her knees get weak all over again. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and her stomach tightened.

"I…" he continued, before stopping. He exhaled briefly in laughter, one side of his mouth quirking upwards. "I'll have you know, that I'm quite set on spending the rest of my life with you."

"Oh, James…" Lily repeated, brushing his cheek with the tips of her fingers. She seemed to want to say something else, but could only sniffle and blink back tears. Then, she gave up and threw her arms around his neck, letting the blanket drop to the flagstones.

James smiled more broadly then he had ever smiled, and held on to Lily, never wanting to let go.

When she whispered into his ear the very words he wanted to hear, he nearly collapsed to the ground in a giddy pile. Somehow, he managed to will strength back into his own knees and hold her tighter.

Eventually, he loosened his hold so that he could pull the necklace from its container. He fumbled over the clasp for a moment, then urged Lily to turn around. Draping it across her collarbones, he fastened the chain and pulled her hair out from the loop.

She faced him again, and he had to steady himself again as she pushed her fingers into his hair and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. He gladly responded, lifting her off her feet.

She had said, "I love you," and his Christmas—and the rest of his life, he felt—was complete.


	33. Nikeia's Story

**Chapter Thirty-Three – Nikeia's Story**

Nikeia Strathmore was standing at the top of the Astronomy Tower, looking over the white grounds of Hogwarts while leaning against the cold stone. It had snowed last night, adding another layer to the piles of snow. No one was on the grounds; it was, in fact, quite cold out.

She was good with Charms. Always had been. So, to add a Warming Charm to the air around her was as easy as Banishing a pillow.

Indeed, it seemed as if the past two months of her life had been Banished from her memory. She remembered the Halloween feast, the day of the ball, and nothing in between, aside from precious—so very precious—moments of consciousness in between.

And yet, she could remember the moments before the long blank. She could remember the pain and confusion. And she wished she couldn't.

Suddenly, a weight fell onto her shoulders, followed by two more warm weights. A light kiss was placed on her cheek, and she realized it was Sirius, wrapping a blanket around her. His arms followed, enveloping her and holding the blanket to her body.

"I can remember it all," she whispered.

He was still for a moment, then he gently pulled her to the ground, cradling her with her back against his chest as he leant against the battlements. He pulled a second blanket over them both, and repositioned his arms around her thin frame. She let her body lay against his without hesitation, feeling weary from standing for so long. Madam Pomfrey had allowed her out of the Wing only that morning, though she had to return to spend the night in the matron's care.

"Do you want to tell me?" Sirius whispered against her ear.

She did not respond immediately. Instead, she thought about it for a moment. Her eyes closed, and the scenes played across her mind briefly.

"I… I left the library late after the Halloween feast. I don't remember why I was there. I guess I was studying for something. Or maybe I had gone to get a book… I do remember that I had been sitting in the window-seat by the Restricted Section."

"Oh, I love that spot. Small enough for one to sit and study—or sleep—but just big enough to cuddle with someone. If they cuddled close, that is," Sirius said, nuzzling her neck playfully.

She giggled, startled to feel that it was an odd sensation in her throat. She loved laughing; to not do it for over two months was a shocking idea for her.

"Will you sit with me there sometime?" she asked, finding one of his hands under the blankets.

He laid a lingering kiss on her cheek in response.

"Madam Pince kicked me out right before curfew," Nikeia said, continuing her tale. "I can remember walking back to the common room, thinking about a bunch of things. You were a prominent fixture in my brain, I remember." She lightly titled her head back to bump against his jaw. "If I told you how prominent, you'd probably bring the Tower down with your big head."

She felt his chest rumble with laughter, and heard his chuckle in her ear. "I'll get you to tell sometime, don't worry."

She smiled, though he couldn't see it. She'd gladly tell; after so many years of watching him, she couldn't wait to share her thoughts.

"I guess I wasn't paying attention when I was walking, because… because the next thing I knew, people had blocked my path. One of them came up behind me and smashed their hand against my mouth and their arm wrapped around my body. It hurt." She swallowed hard, and Sirius's hold tightened gently. "I noticed the Slytherin crest: it's burned in my memory. That and the oily voice of one of them." Nikeia tensed and Sirius growled deep in his throat. His hand tightened in hers.

"He said _Silencio_ and I couldn't scream when he slapped me. Hexes burned me… pinched me… bruised me… Paper cuts hurt, and having them all over my body was maddening."

Her breath came faster as she continued to recount the torture. Bee stings, shoes in her side, a slap across her face.

"Then pain. Pain as never before."

Tears were rolling down her face, thought she managed to contain the sobs. "Unforgivable pain. Unforgiving pain. My mind was numb. And yet I felt it all. I still feel it-"

Sirius's grip tightened some more, and she was grateful that he stopped her flow of words. After a few moments, she felt well enough to continue.

"He touched my cheek. I remember that it was such a gentle touch—so different from everything else. I never thought it could come from him. From… from Snape. He touched me, then smiled. So… so horribly. His slap was almost welcome after that. At least I recognized him. Then he said something… something horrible-sounding. But, I don't remember it. I didn't recognize the curse, I'm sure of it. I recognized the pain, though. Oh…"

She sobbed, and buried her head in her arms. Sirius's head came down to rest on the back of her neck; she felt her tears fall onto her back.

"The cuts…" he muttered, correctly assuming the outcome of the curse.

She nodded, and when she could breathe, she whispered, "I remember curling into a ball, and then feeling a hand on my shoulder. I remember floating, and I think I wondered 'Is this what death feels like?' and then I stopped remembering." She had managed to stop sobbing just long enough to say that; when she finished, she started again, pressing her hands against her face.

Sirius turned her in his arms, and pressed his cheek to her forehead. His embrace tightened even further—part of her was surprised he could hold her any tighter.

It was many minutes until they could breathe easier, her tears subsiding and his anger abating.

She sniffled, then readjusted her self slightly, loving the feeling of her back against his chest and his jaw against her temple. His legs pressed against the outside of hers, and she realized it was a more intimate seating arrangement than she had ever been in. She didn't mind though, especially now that she was calm enough to feel his chest rising. Eventually, they began to breathe in sync with each other.

Suddenly, she giggled.

"What?" he asked.

"It just feels so strange to breathe with you."

"Well, keep talking and we won't be able to."

She laughed, again hating that it seemed to strain her to do so.

"Gosh, I missed your laugh," he muttered, sighing.

"I missed you," she admitted, speaking just as softly. She turned her head as well as she could to look at him. He caught her gaze, held it for a moment, then gently pressed his lips to hers.

Behind such a gentle kiss she was amazed to find such emotion. She gripped his arm with one hand, and reached the other up to press against his cheek.

He kissed her twice more, each as soft, gentle and passionate as the first kiss, but each singular and special.

Almost too soon, he pulled away, just enough to smile softly down at her.

"I wish I had done that sooner," he admitted.

She smiled faintly. "Oh, but it wouldn't have been the same."

He was still for a moment, and she could see him looking back at his past years at Hogwarts.

She decided to elaborate. "I was so jealous of all those girls who got to walk around, hanging on your arm. I never admitted it, but, oh, I so wished I was one of them. The girlfriend of the cutest guy in school."

Sirius exhaled, and the breath tickled her ear.

"And then, Lily made me realize that there wasn't anything truly admirable in being some guy's girl for a week. She couldn't see you staying with anyone more than a week, and perhaps that was unfair, but I-"

"No. It was fair. I… never thought about any of those girls after their week. Lily saw the truth."

"Yeah, she's good at that. She really cared about me. She didn't want me hurt. When I finally saw that, I… somehow managed to give you up. It was so easy to say you weren't worth it."

"Thanks."

She giggled again, stretching to peck his lips gently. "It didn't last. I saw you again this year, after summer break, and… it hit me again. Your smile, your eyes, your laugh. Oh…" She sighed, and Sirius chuckled.

"Lily had been so adamant to stay away from you Marauders—or at least from you and James. And then that detention happened. That was probably the best worst thing to ever happen to her."

They shared a laugh.

"I'd say you're quite right," said Sirius. "She needed a good kissing."

Nikeia gave a loud bark of laughter. "I can't deny it, but I will say that I think she's the type that had always wanted to be kissed by one man, and one man only. We never really talked about it, and for that I'm sad. She was always doing homework when Josey and I were talking about boys. You know, I think that was her first kiss?"

"Really?" asked Sirius, bending over to look at her. "James being an idiot and kissing her without warning was her first?"

"Oh, it just sounds wonderful when you put it that way," she chuckled. "But, yup." She was silent for a moment. "It's incredibly romantic, don't you think? To only ever kiss one person for your entire life?"

Sirius didn't say anything, but looked slightly uncomfortable. "Well…"

"I've kissed a few boys, don't worry," Nikeia admitted, absolutely adoring the look on Sirius's face.

"And I'm sure you know I've kissed my fair share."

"Of course. You are Sirius Black, after all."

He smiled broadly at her, then paused. "When was your first kiss?"

Nikeia giggled yet again. "Matthew Colburn. Oh, he was so cute! He had these lovely green eyes that were just-"

"I appreciate a pretty picture as much as the next guy, but I don't really want to hear about him," said Sirius, blandly and bluntly. Nikeia laughed loudly.

"Oh, very well. Anyway, he's a wizard. Studied at the Italian Institute. He would flirt with me in Italian. Nothing more romantic than Italian-"

She broke off at the sound of Sirius gagging. She rolled her eyes, smiling at his playful act.

"He caught me under the mistletoe at the Christmas Party in our home during my fourth year." She sighed, almost only so she could hear Sirius gag playfully again. "We were almost inseparable that break. He's a year older, so I was completely starstruck." She sighed again. "And then we went back to school, and it was all a happy memory. We exchanged owls, and he admitted to liking a girl in his year. He was so sweet—he almost seemed to think that he had an obligation to me to ask if it was all right!"

She heard Sirius scoff, no doubt thinking it a very unmanly thing to do.

"We're still friends, and he's still with that girl, Charisa. Absolute sweetheart she is, too!"

"Should I write this Matthew and ask his permission?"

Nikeia laughed, then gasped suddenly. She doubled over, pressing her hands (and therefore Sirius's also) against her torso, where acute pain had flared up. She didn't know if it was from stretching the healing cuts, or from lingering remnants of the spell, but it hurt.

It took a few minutes before the pain went away. She realized that Sirius has bent his body over hers as if shielding her from any new pain. She took a steadying breath, and allowed him to straighten her. She nuzzled her head under his chin, her eyes closed.

His next words brought a very welcome goofy grin to her face.

"I don't care about Matthew: you're mine. And I'm not letting anyone hurt you."

**Author's Note**: So, if anyone is rereading this story, perhaps you'll notice changes. For new readers (thank you!), I rewrote this chapter to spiff it up and make me happier. The original isn't much different… Just less good. Though, after reading it again, I'm very happy I made the changes I did. I love it now!


	34. Twice Defied

**Chapter Thirty-Four – Twice Defied**

The rest of Christmas Break flew by. The days were full of laughter, snowball fights, and talking. The nights were mostly spent in the Head's common room, either lying on the couch or floor before the fire, or in Lily's room, on her magically expanded bed. Sirius would take on his Animagus form, on which Nikeia loved to sleep. Neither Snuffles nor Sirius minded. Nikeia was also inducted into the Marauderettes. It was in a ceremony just like the last, with Sirius "knighting" Nikeia. Lily made sure to get it all on Sam's camera.

Sirius and Nikeia got closer; they had been caught cuddling in front of the fire in the Head's common room more than once. Their evening atop the Astronomy Tower was kept a secret, though Nikeia did mention the attack briefly to her other friends. Sirius's frown stopped anyone from trying to get more from the recently returned girl.

This certain young woman also spent a good part of her break catching up on her studies. It was exhausting at times, but Lily's able and kind tutoring, Sirius's laughter and James's enthusiasm made it enjoyable for Nikeia.

When classes resumed after the New Year, teachers started piling on the homework to double the amount of before the break. After all, Lily reasoned, NEWTs were coming up soon. Even Sam and Monica noticed the change in their own workload. Sam moped for a while, but Monica seemed to take the expanded workload easily enough. Lily beamed every time she saw Monica drag Sam into a chair and push a book under his nose.

Apart from that, the group of friends also noticed some changes in Frank and Alice. They were a bit more sullen and quiet, and they never left each others' company. After the last class one day, James and Lily ran to catch up with them.

"Frank! Alice!" called James, coming from behind and cutting off their walk down the hall. Frank and Alice were startled, but obligingly stopped walking. "What's wrong with you two?"

"Oh, _that_ was subtle!" said Lily sarcastically, punching James's shoulder. James shrugged. "What he means to ask is: are you two alright?" asked Lily, kindly. "You've been awfully down lately. We want to know what's wrong."

Frank and Alice looked at each other, and then Frank glanced to the students in the hallway.

"Can we go somewhere else? It's not really something we want to have overheard."

"It's not like you two did something... well, something like sleeping together, did you?" asked a voice from behind Frank. The brown-haired boy jumped and spun around. Sirius was standing there with a suspicious look on his face. Nikeia was standing next to him with a skeptical eyebrow raised.

"See, that is exactly how rumors get started and why we don't want anyone eavesdropping!" complained Alice, glaring at Sirius.

Remus came up behind the smirking young man and pushed him forward. Frank and Alice stepped apart quickly, effectively eliminating any barrier between Sirius and the floor. Alice chuckled, grabbed Frank's hand, and walked with James and Lily down the hall. Remus laughed and followed the quartet with Peter chuckling beside him. Sirius pushed himself up with a groan and ran to catch up, his hand in Nikeia's.

Once they were all comfortable inside the Head's common room, Frank got right to the point with: "Voldemort attacked us over the break."

Sirius gasped and fell off his chair, taking his seat partner—Nikeia—with him. Peter, who was leaning against the wall, slipped sideways and fell out of surprise at Frank's statement and Sirius's reaction. His hands stopped his collision with the hardwood floor.

"What?" gasped James, sitting straight up in his chair; Lily and Remus did the same.

"Well," started Alice, clasping her hands together and looking down at them resting on her lap, "My mum wanted to meet Frank—" she blushed— "and since our fathers work together at the Ministry we decided to get together for Christmas. After dinner, we went outside to enjoy the fresh air, just Frank and I, and as we stood in the garden, Voldemort came. There were four Death Eaters with him."

Peter squirmed, and Lily almost unconsciously mimicked him. She didn't want to remember her own encounter with the Death Eaters.

"The Death Eaters didn't do much, just stood there as we dueled Voldemort. It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much," admitted Frank, exhaling quickly. James and Lily nodded in understanding. "And yet, somehow, we managed to come out on top."

"What hexes did you use?" asked James.

"Well, a whole bunch of them, but _Amitto spiritus_ seemed to work particularly well," admitted Frank.

"Really?" asked James. "The one that makes the lungs loose breath? That's the one I used."

"Wait! You used?" cried Alice in surprise. "_You_ dueled Voldemort?"

"Well, yeah," said Lily, slightly confused. "You didn't know that? That's why we were out of classes those few days."

"Really? Everyone just thought you both had taken sick or something like that," said Alice.

"No one told you that we had fought Voldemort?" Lily was quite surprised that Remus hadn't said anything. She looked over to Remus, who correctly interpreted her gaze.

"I didn't say anything because Dumbledore told us not to tell anyone!" Remus stated defensively.

"But, after we got out of the Hospital Wing, you, Frank, said that this year had be strange so far. If you didn't know about us dueling with Voldemort, then why did you say that?" asked Lily, stumped.

"Well, because it was true. First, you fall in love with James after loathing him for so long," chuckled Frank, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

It worked, for everyone chuckled. James even said, "Yeah, that would be categorized as strange." (Lily punched him.)

"And then," continued Frank, "Stacey falls in love with Snape and turns Death Eater." Frank and Alice shivered together. "Then, your parents pass, Stacey dies, Nikeia gets hurt, and Sirius goes into depression." Frank gestured towards Sirius, who had taken up a spot on the floor, his head in Nikeia's lap. Sirius glared and Nikeia patted his head gently.

"And now, after I said that it was as strange year, it gets even worse!" exclaimed Frank. "The Marauders start a branch of their group for girls, and Lily becomes one of the first members. _Lily!_ Evans. Lily Evans!" Frank gestured wildly, seeming rather aghast that Lily Evans was one of the first Marauderettes. Lily couldn't believe it herself sometimes. Nikeia laughed at Lily's guilty shrug. "Then, Lily and James duel Voldemort, and Alice and I get attacked by Voldemort, and we defy him. It's all just... strange." Frank ended his explanation with the action of throwing his hands into the air and letting them smack his legs.

"It has been a weird year," conceded James, squeezing Lily's shoulders in a one-armed hug.

"You know what will make it even more strange?" asked Lily, giving a Marauderette Smirk after a short silence. Sirius raised an eyebrow in a silent question. "That this year, the Marauders _will_ study for their exams."

The said group of men—even Remus—looked at each other, and then groaned simultaneously. Lily laughed in a manner that could almost be called evil.

"Oh, Lily!" cried Alice. "If they study, who'll offer humor and relief to our dull days spent pouring over old notes?"

Lily shot her a reproving glare. "I'm sure they'll still conjure up some brilliant scheme to not only get out of studying but also to annoy me and make you laugh."

"If you're so sure we'll get out of it, why even bother trying to make us study?" asked James.

"How can you get out of something you're not in?" retorted Lily quickly.

The two Marauders most afraid of the idea of studying froze, glanced at each other and attempted numerous times to say something. Lily Smirked. Remus also smiled, but he hid his grin behind his hand. The others in the room chuckled appreciatively.

"Besides," continued Lily, "This is an important year. These results will shape out future. We can't get into an of the Ministry posts without passing some of the NEWTs. We should make sure we know the material before it too late, otherwise-"

"Evans!" cried Sirius. "We know. We've heard this before. We four always do well on exams. OWLs were easy—NEWTs should be, too."

Peter stammered, "OWLs weren't that easy. There were a few tricky things."

"Yeah, well, Wormtail, that's just you," scoffed Sirius.

Nikeia swatted his shoulder. "Be nice. They _were_ tough at times. I was glad that Lily made me study as much as she did."

"Yeah, well, Nik, that's just you," repeated Sirius, avoiding a second punch. Nikeia removed herself from beneath Sirius, and curled up on the couch next to Lily, placing her head in her friend's lap. Sirius pouted and looked slightly apologetic, especially when Lily began drawing her fingers lazily through Nikeia's long black hair.

"That's what you get, Padfoot," commented Remus. "I would've hoped you'd learn to respect formidable young women by now."

Sirius frowned, and hunkered down into the chair.

"Formidable young women, indeed," stated James and Frank in unison. They looked pleasantly surprised to speak at the same time.

"Formidable young women who will score better on their NEWTs guaranteed," boasted Alice. Frank shot her a surprised glance as Lily laughed.

"And what are you planning on doing with your Exceeds Expectations NEWTs, might I ask?" shot James.

Alice blushed slightly. "I plan to follow in my father's footsteps. Become an Auror."

"Really?" returned James, looking at her admirably. "You'll be a benefit for the force, for sure."

Alice smiled at him. "Frank is going to join me."

Frank smiled at her, and Lily and Nikeia nearly melted at his expression.

"I reckon he's going to join you for the rest of your lives," muttered Nikeia, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Frank and Alice blushed magnificently, but Frank wrapped his arms around Alice protectively and lovingly.

"Aye, and would that be such a bad thing?" whispered Frank into Alice's ear. She blushed even further, if it was possible, and smiled giddily.

James smiled, and pressed a light kiss to Lily's temple. She twisted her head to gaze up at him fondly.

"All this lovey-dovey stuff is making me ill," groused Sirius. "Josey and Antoine are off somewhere doing who-knows-what, Longbottom and Alice here are blushing like apples, Potter and Evans are making sappy eyes at each other… It's ridi-"

"You're just jealous that I left you," shot Nikeia, not sparing him a glance.

She was surprised when he was suddenly standing over her, then scooping her into his arms. As he walked back to his chair, he said, "Darn right, I am." He sat back down in the chair, with Nikeia spread across his lap. He, too, wrapped his arms protectively around his girl, then treated her to quite a thorough kiss.

James gagged, while Remus rolled his eyes.

Lily mimicked the prefect, then offered the question about the future to Peter and Remus.

Appearing to put the affectionate couple from his thoughts, Remus responded with, "I'm not sure. Being in my… particular position makes finding work tricky and difficult. I'll just have to wait and see what comes up."

Peter responded with a similar statement, though he added that he'd probably stay with his parents while he searched for employment.

Remus turned the question on Lily.

"Oh, I thought of being an Auror, also," she said, snuggling closer to James. "Frank and Alice might not be the only couple on the Auror team next year."

Remus smiled kindly and nodded. James tightened his hold on Lily.

"We won't let them get all the fun," he said, smirking at Frank and Alice.

"Oh, won't you?" returned Frank, grinning back. The two young men exchanged playfully challenging glances for a moment. Then, Frank looked back over at Sirius and Nikeia. "Well, who's making sappy eyes now?"

The dark-haired couple pulled away. Their blushes shocked everyone.

"And blushing?" gasped Alice. "Merlin! Is the world ending?"

Sirius pulled the throw pillow from behind him and put it to its natural use—throwing. Unfortunately, Frank stopped it before it could hit Alice.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…"

"Actually, you would, because I always do stuff like that," retorted Sirius. Frank's eyes narrowed.

"Well, Mr. Black, since we're on the subject of what you'd do… What will you do after school?" asked Alice, tossing the pillow back.

Sirius's expression clouded momentarily. "Well, I guess I haven't thought of it too much. Can't go back home—they'll toss me back into the street before I can upset our nasty little house elf. An uncle that actually likes me mentioned that he might give me some money. I've sent out some inquires about flats to let. Nothing's come back, what with this war."

The mention of the war caused everyone to pause for a minute or two. They thought deep thoughts, and if the men held their girls closer, no one said anything of it.

"What do you think will become of it all?" asked Remus. "This war… our world… the people in it…"

His friends could merely shake their heads.

"It's definitely changed all our lives. It'll probably change us even more once we're out there in it," spoke Nikeia softly.

"I think we'll just have to wait and see," said James. "Who knows how long it'll take, or who will finally end it. How it'll end… We'll just stick together, the lot of us. Nothing'll hurt us that way."

"Why, James! That was delightfully sentimental!" squealed Nikeia, teasing her best friend's boyfriend. He merely shot her a glare, before grinning.

"And I meant it."

**Author's Note: **I do have a prophecy to worry about, which is what prompted this chapter…


	35. Quidditch

**Chapter Thirty-Five – Quidditch**

James walked into the Great Hall; his new racing broom (a back to school present from his parents) over his scarlet-clad shoulder. A few girls waved and winked to him as he walked by, which he brushed off with simple nods of his head. He took his seat next to Lily and kissed her thoroughly enough for the _other_ girls to sigh. He gently tugged the necklace around her neck. Lily chuckled and started eating, lacing her fingers into James's.

The Great Hall's occupants were decked out in their supporting colors, as usually happened during for a Quidditch match. The Gryffindors, in their red and gold, were eagerly (and loudly) talking about the merits of their House team. Banners and flags were rolled up next to a few people. The Ravenclaw flyers sat amongst their House mates, their bronze and blue clothing, scarves and hats looking somber and smart. About half the Hufflepuffs were wearing Gryffindor or Ravenclaw colors over their own black and yellow. Naturally, the Slytherins were completely clad in green and silver and snarling at the other two tables.

The rest of the Gryffindor team gradually joined their Captain in the Great Hall, taking breakfast heartily but still around conversations with their friends. When the time came for the teams to leave the Hall, James stood up and beckoned to his team members. The rest of the Gryffindors cheered and shouted as their team walked with heads held high out of the Great Hall. The Ravenclaws stood next, and were cheered on by their own house. After they left, everyone else followed the two teams out of the Hall.

Out in the pitch, Lily and the rest of her friends took their seats in the second row of a stand in the middle of the stadium.

"Welcome, ladies, gentlemen and teachers to the second to last Quidditch game. This will determine which House—Gryffindor or Ravenclaw—will go on to face Slytherin in the Cup. Good luck to all teams, and here come the Gryffindors now! Always first, aren't they?" called out the commentator, Noah Lee. "And out come Captain and Chaser James Potter! Stay away girls, he's taken, and very happy!"

"LEE!" shouted McGonagall from behind him. Lee chuckled into the microphone and went on introducing the players.

"And following, Chasers Antoine Wood and Joshua Spinnet, Seeker Autumn Lai, Keeper and Spinnet's girlfriend Cory Firion, and second year Beaters Luke and Melissa Cosi! And now, here come the Ravenclaws! Captain and Chaser Rimma Sheldon; Chasers Audrey Hashburn-Smitty and Catherine Johansson; Seeker Daniel Hughes; Keeper Caleb Brent and Beaters Stephanie Williams and Natasha Hodges. I wonder how Hughes and Brent feel being the only guys on the team. They must not mind; those are some very attractive girls." Once again, McGonagall called out to Noah, and he chuckled.

"Out onto the pitch steps Professor Mindy. The teams line up, Potter and Sheldon shake hands, and there goes the Quaffle. Potter takes off with it, with Sheldon and the rest of the Chasers following him closely. Potter throws to Spinnet. Ooh, he narrowly missed that Bludger with a great roll, and oh dear, he dropped the Quaffle. Thank goodness Wood was right there to catch it. Great job. Wood throws...and yes! Ten nil to Gryffindor. There goes Sheldon with the Quaffle. Whoa, that girl must've gotten a new broom this Christmas. It looks like a Nimbus 1001! I don't think the Gryffindors were expecting that, but no matter. Ouch! That had to hurt! She was just hit by a Bludger from Cosi—the girl. That girl is feisty. Whoever gets her as a girlfriend better watch out." McGonagall called out again, but Lee was too preoccupied with ducking to make a retort. Melissa Cosi had flown by the stand with her bat held out. If Lee had been a few seconds slower, he would've woken up in the infirmary with quite a bump on his head.

"Oi! That girl's got fire, and I wonder if that was illegal? No matter. Hashburn-Smitty takes possession of the Quaffle... and yes! She got it past Firion! Great work, Smitty! Score's now tied at ten. There goes Spinnet with the ball. Throws to Potter, throws to Wood, back to Potter, back to Spinnet. Rolls again to miss another Bludger from Hodges. He shoots—it's stopped by Brent. Quaffle take over by Sheldon and she's barreling down the pitch. Oh, the Quaffle is taken by Potter, and he throws it to Spinnet. Wow! Potter just jumped off his broom and over Beater Williams. Nice job, Potter. He retrieves the Quaffle from Spinnet and shoots—yes! 20 to 10 with Ravenclaw trailing."

And then game went on. Gryffindor would score, Ravenclaw would miss, Gryffindor would miss, Ravenclaw would get a goal... Both teams had to bring in reserve members; Gryffindor's Joshua Spinnet had been hit in the head by a foul Bludger (James got the Quaffle Spinnet dropped, and later the point) and went unconscious five feet above the ground. He was substituted by Lauryn Ross, a sixth year. Ravenclaw's Catherine Johansson was also hit with a Bludger and forced off her broom. Thankfully, it was only four feet above the ground. She had a broken rib, and the reserve Chaser Marty Flyn was brought it. Both members had scored points for their team. Finally, the Seekers started to get into the game.

"And the score is now 130 to 110, Ravenclaw leading. Both teams are doing really well this game, I wonder how long they can keep it up? It's nearing one in the afternoon; games been going on for about four hours. Wood's got the Quaffle, and he throws to Ross, swerves around Smitty. Ouch! There goes Sheldon. That had to hurt. The poor girl has been hit with a Bludger in her back. She's touching the ground. Nice hit, Cosi! And a quick flick of a wand and Sheldon's back in the game. Good going! She's back with a renewed vigor; let's go, girl! Ooh, she's taken the Quaffle from Wood and there she goes! Intercepted by Potter and he goes flying down the pitch. And he shoots...ten points to Gryffindor. Score's now 130 to 120, Ravenclaw. What's this? Lai dives...and Hughes follows. Did Lai see the Snitch? No. She was feinting. Hughes _just_ managed to pull out of that one. They're back to opposite ends of the pitch. Ooh! Hashburn-Smitty now grabs the Quaffle and yes! She's gets another ten points for her team. And Flyn gains possession of the Quaffle. He was just brought in and has managed to score a few points, but—Whoa! That made up for it. He swerved pretty tightly around Luke Cosi and then jumped over Potter and now he'll shoot...and Firion misses it. Ravenclaw's been doing really good this game. Giving Gryffindor a run for their talent. Haha. Someone had to!"

Surprising, the Slytherins cheered at that jeer at the Gryffindor's cocky manner.

Noah Lee continued commentating: "Ross's got the Quaffle, passed to Potter, back to Ross, who shoots and gets it got past Brent. Score's 150 to 130, Ravenclaw. And there goes Hughes! Has _he_ seen something? Yes, I do believe he has! Lai's right next to him! Careful; watch out for that Bludger! Ouch, they both got a piece of that, and the Snitch disappears again. They're gonna have bruises from that hit. It hurts when my girlfriend pinches me, I can't imagine—sorry, Professor! And there goes Lai off to the west, rotating her shoulders, and Hughes goes off to the east, holding his side. Hope there's no broken ribs. Oh! There goes Potter once again, making for the hoops—and yes! He gets ten points! 150 to 140, Ravenclaw's still in the lead.

"Oh man! There goes Lai again and I think she's seen—yes, she has! There goes Hughes! Watch out for that Bludger from Hodges...good job, Lai; swerved past that one. And she's still speeding toward the Snitch. Hughes and Lai are neck and neck—Ravenclaw just got ten more points, good job Sheldon—and Lai and Hughes are getting closer. Just don't bump into the walls guys, that wouldn't be too nice. Great job Ross! 160 to 150 stands the score, and there goes Lai... she's stretching... and yes! She's caught the Snitch! Ooohh! Foul, Hughes! He went and pushed her into the wall and she's down. Hope she's doin' all right...yes; she's sitting up, holding her wrist. Captain James Potter's flying down to her. What a great captain, eh guys? Takes her on his broom for the traditional victory lap! Great job, Ravenclaw; you kept that the closest game ever. Very nice! Gryffindor will go up against Slytherin for the House Cup. The teams shake hands once again and head off for their dressing room. Game to Gryffindor; 300 to 160 and it's nearly two in the afternoon. That was a pretty long game, teams!" Lee stopped commentating as everyone starting leaving the stands.

Lily met up with James and threw her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his back.

"Oh, you weren't arrogant at all! I'm so proud of you!" Lily hugged him fiercely as he laughed heartily, turning in her embrace to hug her properly.

Josey went up to Antoine and hugged him swiftly before pressing her lips against his. He stumbled backwards, but managed to keep his arms around his girl. When they separated, he asked, "What was that for?"

"I'm not allowed to kiss my boyfriend after his victory?" she said, smiling coyly up at him. (She really was quite a few inches shorter, so the pairing was amusing for those watching… which was nearly all of their friends.)

He smirked, muttered, "I daresay you are," and kissed her back with quite a bit of gusto.

Nikeia held in her laughter while Lily held her forehead in her hands at her friend's passion.

Not about to be undone by some upstart Quidditch player, Sirius bent his head down to kiss Nikeia. Naturally, James couldn't resist kissing Lily, though it was a soft kiss. Then, Frank and Alice just had to complete the quartet. How could they not?

Remus, who had been walking with the prefect Kayla, looked at her and Peter and rolled his eyes. Kayla laughed.

"There's so much sappiness swirling around that I must get out of here." She threw her hands in the air and walked off, still chuckling. Remus and Peter followed her, eager to also be away from the couples.

They were half way to the castle when James and Lily, Frank and Alice, and Sirius and Nikeia met up with them.

"Josey and Antoine showed no sign of stopping , so we figured we'd let them be," laughed Lily.

"We're going to have to have a talk with that girl," muttered Nikeia. She and Lily shared an understanding glance, and sighed deeply.

James and Sirius shot each other quizzical glances, but shrugged before they could think on it anymore.

They had a party to plan.

That party wasn't as rambunctious as the House Cup victory party, but it was still had the majority of Gryffindors in the Common Room.

James left for a while, returning only after he had seen to his teammates in the Hospital Wing. The Bludger blow to Autumn's back had winded and bruised her, and that last shove into the wall didn't help any. Her wrist had snapped when she tried to stop herself, but it was healed quickly. Joshua Spinnet was still out with a bump on his head, but James left a few Chocolate Frogs on his bedside table. He had a few stashed away in his trunk in his dorm for occasions such as this.

The Ravenclaw Seeker was in the Hospital Wing as well, with two broken ribs—mended in a heartbeat, but still very sore. James knew how it felt. The other Ravenclaw Chaser was sleeping in her bed, with the second case of broken ribs.

Madam Pomfrey let James walk Autumn back up to the common room after giving her a few potions, and waving her wand a few times. James uttered the password, called Antoine over, and together they easily lifted Autumn's slight form onto their shoulders. They paraded her around the common room a few times, all the while smiling and laughing. Everyone congratulated Autumn on another great game, and the rest of the team got their fair share of praise.

James was just opening a bottle of butterbeer when Lily came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, and laid her head against his shoulder. He smiled, realizing that this was a favorite way to hug him.

He turned back to the table of treats, and was startled to find a girl only a few inches from his face. He backed up, luckily not trodding on any of Lily's toes. It was the same sixth year who had approached Sirius before the Masquerade. A rather plain girl she was, with wavy brown hair held back with a flowered headband and brown eyes, but she was still pretty. Nowhere near as pretty as his Lily, though.

"Hey, James!" She greeted him in a bubbly voice, and smiled. "That's was a great game today! You were wonderful!"

"Well, I'm not the whole team. Everyone else helped," admitted James, and he took a drink from the brown bottle. He felt Lily squeeze his waist. James chuckled, and moved her to stand next to him. She kept her arms wrapped around his waist; he couldn't help but feel like she was being protective. He loved the feeling.

He caught Lily's smile to Laila. The brown-haired girl's return smile was tight, but it switched back to her bright grin when she looked back at James.

"Well, whatever!" laughed Laila, placing a hand on James's forearm. "It was still a great game. You really are a great captain."

James just smiled, taking another swig of butterbeer.

"I came over because I figure now's as good a time as any. I need help with this whole... thing we're doing in Charms. I know you're really good at it, so can you help me out? I don't understand the wand movement."

"Well, Lily's actually better at Charms than me; why don't you ask her?" asked James.

"Actually," starting Lily, looking up at him. "I was just going to head the dorm. It's late, and I have to study for a pop quiz tomorrow in Potions. But, I guess I can stay and help."

"No," Laila gushed, flapping a hand. "You go study. I have my own quiz tomorrow so I'd like to get this done tonight, without putting anyone else out."

"Okay," said Lily, before reaching up to kiss James's cheek. She turned away, but James reached out to stop her.

"Wait, what quiz? Slughorn didn't say anything about a quiz?"

"That's why it's a pop quiz," explained Lily, slowly.

"But, how do you know there's going to be a quiz, then?" asked James, confused. He noticed Laila was looking at them with an eyebrow carefully raised and her lips pursed in a slightly agitated manner.

"Slughorn always gives us a pop quiz after a game," said Lily. "Come on, James. You should know that," Lily said, chuckling as she started to back away again. James chuckled shortly and sheepishly. Lily winked and turned around, passing a kissing Josey and Antoine as she did so.

James turned back to Laila, who treated him with a simpering look. He smiled faintly back, and asked her the incantation with which she was having trouble.

After a few moments explaining the simple charm, he was distressed to find that their impromptu tutoring session was taking longer than strictly necessary. He sighed and continued to explain.

**Author's Note: **Thanks to the following original readers for their input; they became Quidditch players: **_LilyEvans_**, **JustMelissa**, **Fire_temper**, **Clawstripe_n_chocolate**, and **Quiditchfan.**

And no, JAMES WAS NOT A SEEKER! That's only in the movies, to create a greater connection to Harry (and because James was playing with the Snitch in OotP). JKR has said that James was a Chaser, and I like that for him better. Another thing: Antoine Wood and Joshua Spinnet are not the fathers of Oliver Wood or Alicia Spinnet; they're much too young. So, they're uncles. I just wanted to keep the names. And "Noah Lee" is a reference to Lee Jordan, and "Audrey Hashburn-Smitty" is a reference to Audrey Hepburn's character in "Roman Holiday".


	36. Overdue Witch Talk

**Chapter Thirty-Six – Overdue Witch Talk**

They were hiding furtively inside the Portrait Hole, their heads peeking into the Gryffindor Common Room. They were looking for someone in particular. Someone who would probably be cuddling with a dark-haired Quidditch player.

The two figures found their quarry, but at that moment, the Portrait opened outward and in stepped another girl.

She froze, startled to see only the heads and shoulders of two of her friends, seemingly coming out of the wall to her right.

"Wha-?"

Before she could say anything else, the two hiders looked at each other, then turned back to the girl who just walked in. Instantly, a wand came out and pointed at the newcomer. Her eyes widened in surprised as her lips were glued shut and she was drawn back into the wall. One of the hiders (they one without the wand) briefly disappeared into the wall and, when they returned, nodded to the other.

"She's quiet and she can't move."

"Good. Now we just have to get the other one over here, and we'll be ready."

"Well, we can see her. Let's just go over, tell her we need to talk to her, and be done." A spluttering was heard, and the non-wand-wielder whispered, "Your hair is in my face! I keep eating it!"

"Well, stop hovering so close to my shoulder then!" A bump sounded, and Wand Wielder said, "That hurt!"

"Shut it. Let's just get the girl, and get back to the dormitory."

"Fine."

They quickly planned their attack, then stepped from the hidden hallway (which only one of them could actually see).

They approached the corner in which their prey sat—in the lap of her boyfriend, as they suspected.

"Well, hullo. Do you mind if we steal your girl from you? We've got something we want to say."

They were standing before the cuddling pair, their stances wide. The one who was talking was tapping their wand against their palm.

The dark-haired man focused on the wand for a second, knowing this Gryffindor knew how to use it well. Nevertheless, he found the whole situation rather funny. He looked up with an amused face beneath his furrowed brows. "Well, um… sure."

He turned to the girl on his lap, kissed her quickly. "I think they mean business."

"But… I was just getting comfortable," she almost whined.

He looked at her in shock. "We've been sitting here for an hour, and you're only now getting comfortable?"

The girl pressed a hand to his chest. "Has it been an hour already? Time sure does fly."

The Two Who Meant Business looked at each other, rolling their eyes at the sappiness. They supposed they should expect it from this girl. She wasn't so much a hopeless romantic as she was just a very aware of her femininity.

The girl whimpered and kissed her boyfriend one more time, but before she could kiss him deep enough to satisfy her during her upcoming time-without-him, she was pulled from his lap and near carried back to the Portrait Hole. She spared no words to describe her displeasure. The two capturers didn't say much, though they did share a contented smirk over the shorter head.

When the girl saw that they were about to walk right into a solid wall, she started flailing and squeaking. (If she had relaxed for a moment, she would've remembered that she had in fact been through this wall before. Perhaps all the snogging she had done recently had addled her wits.)

She wasn't hurt, however, for she just stepped right through the wall, as if it was the glass before St. Mungo's.

She was in a dimly lit hallway and squeaked again when she saw another friend sitting on the floor, her hands and feet flat against the stone, almost as if they had been stuck down.

Which, in fact, they had.

The Wand Wielder whispered the releasing spells, to both her hands and feet, and her lips.

"What in the world do you think you're doing? I was just on my way to see-"

"Oh quiet. We're stealing you for the afternoon. We haven't had a chance to talk in a while and what with both of you mooning over your men, we realized that the only way to have a nice long chat was to be to steal you," said the second capturer, who had been the one to stick the second girl's hands and feet to the floor. "Though, I will say we weren't expecting to have to capture you in such a way, Alice. You just walked through the door and we realized that it was perfect timing."

"Perfect timing? I'll say it was far less-than-perfect for me! How dare you take me away from Antoine!"

"Oh, shush, Josey. Your lips are bright red; you've been snogging quite enough."

The girl, who was in fact the petite but statuesque Josey, huffed and stuck out her tongue.

The foursome continued down the hallway, Alice and Josey walking by themselves. (They were actually quite happy to have a day to spend with their friends; they just argued on principle. And because it was fun.)

"Well, Capturers, you better have some food for us. I didn't get lunch," complained Josey.

"Sucking face with Antoine wasn't enough?"

Josey gasped, shocked at the bluntness. "Nikeia!"

The tall girl smirked, and flopped onto the couch in the Heads' common room.

"Lily, did you hear what she said?" asked Josey, her voice high-pitched in astonishment.

"Indeed I did," laughed Lily, curling into one of the chairs. "And while I wouldn't have said it quite the same way, I was thinking it."

Josey huffed again, and managed to keep up the affronted look for a full three seconds. Then she started laughing.

She started to sit down with Alice, but remembered the food. "I wasn't joking about the food, by the way…"

"It's over on the desk," said Nikeia, pointing over the top of the couch.

"Oh, wonderful," murmured Josey as she shuffled over to the food. As she made a plate for herself—Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, a few Bertie Botts, and some cold chicken from lunch—she addressed the red-headed girl of the group. "Speaking of being all over our men, you two—Lily and Nik—are rich ones to talk! More often than not you're hanging on their arms just waiting for the next kiss."

"Now, Jo, you know that's not quite fair!" urged Lily. "I'm not saying it's not true some of the time. I do enjoy having James around, to make me smile, and laugh, and to hold me." Her face took on a far-away look, which the other girls smiled at, knowing the feeling. "But I don't constantly fawn over him!"

"Oh, and I do?" cried Josey, taking a spot in the other chair.

The other three girls shared looks.

"Over James? No," said Lily. (Josey tossed her an annoyed glare.) "Over Antoine, yes."

Josey frowned briefly, but then shrugged in a rather sheepish way. "I really can't help it. He's just so wonderful, and handsome, and good at Quidditch." She sighed.

Nikeia's brow furrowed. "Are those the only reasons you like him?"

"No!" cried Josey, nearly upsetting the plate precariously placed on her folded knees. "No. Though they certainly don't hinder the fact." She began to play with the wrapper of the Chocolate Frog. "No, he's smart, too. And I… Oh, every time I see him I get the most delightful fluttering in my stomach. When he holds me, I feel utterly safe and content."

The other girls shared another glance, one that was both surprised at the very genuine-sounding feelings of affection, and expressive of their own feelings, considering they had all felt such emotions with their own boyfriends.

"Jo," started Nikeia, slowly. "Are you, well, are you thinking about sleeping with him?"

Josey looked up sheepishly.

"Have you already?"

"No!" cried Josey, straightening her spine suddenly. "No, I haven't. And indeed I wouldn't until we're out of school. I'll not do anything in a broom closet or an unused classroom. " She was silent for a moment. "I have thought about it. I have been tempted, but he always took a step back whenever it got too… too serious. He's so disciplined. So… aware of what's around him. I guess that's why he's a Quidditch player. But, yeah, he's always stopped before we went too far."

Nikeia nodded. "Well, I just wanted to ask, because I know we've talked about it before, with your other boyfriends."

"Yes, I remember the talks."

The four girls chuckled.

"Oh, but he's different than those others," she asserted. "He's…" All she could do was giggle giddily.

They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the crackle of the fire as the castle was slightly drafty in the midst of January.

"And you three? Come on, I've told. Your turn," urged Josey, teasing.

The girls looked down at their hands, thinking.

"Nik, you first?"

The dark-haired beauty shook her head. "I don't know what to say, because I don't know what to think. I've thought about it before, but I've no idea. Yet."

Josey nodded, and turned to Lily. "Lil?"

"Well, I've certainly thought about James. After so many years of almost loathing him. He and his idiotic habits: the hair tousling, the hallway hexing, the hair-raising Quidditch games." She exhaled in laughter. "And now, he's mine. Oh, it feels odd to take possession of him that way, but it also makes me incredibly happy." She smiled broadly at her friends. "Once or twice he's kissed me so… so…" She exhaled again, but this time in happy discomfort. "Maybe 'ardently' is the right word? Oh… I do, in fact, think that I could easily marry him, live beside him… die with him. He's attached himself to me and I've never… never felt safer." She paused. "My, that feels odd to say. A year ago I would have been sure I'd been bewitched."

She was silent, staring into the flames contentedly and with such an expression of love that the other girls remained silent.

Eventually, Alice spoke. "Frank and I have actually talked about getting married. It seems so weird to think about. We're of age, but still, we seem so young. Oh, but I, too, would be happy to spend the rest of my life with him. No matter what we're doing or where we are. No matter what life throws at us, or how this war ends, no matter what it does to us, as Aurors. We talked about everything; at least, a bit about everything. And you know, each time he kisses me it seems like the first time he kissed me." She, too, became lost in the carpet, the smile of a woman in love on her lips.

Nikeia cleared her throat softly. "Listening to you girls, I almost feel embarrassed to speak, but… I don't think I could marry Sirius. In fact, I don't know if he's the marrying type. Or if I am."

She fell silent, and the other girls shook themselves out of their stupors to look at their friend with kind and curious expressions.

"I suppose only time will tell, but perhaps we'll just ever remain lovers. I could love him, quite easily."

Her expression was the most interesting look of the night, fraught with patience, bewilderment, confusion, but also true affection.

"Nik," started Lily. She paused. "I... I think that it's wise to take it step-by-step with him. He is a great man, and he truly cares for you, but I think he doesn't know what his future holds. He needs to go slowly; for all that he likes to speed into things, he should learn patience. Especially if he intends to have someone else by his side. So, going slow and waiting to see what happens seems to be an excellent idea. There's nothing wrong with that."

Nikeia looked at her gratefully, glad that someone understood.

"After all," Lily continued, "As Alice said, we're young. To be planning marriages and lives while we're here in school seems so hasty. I guess if one knows, one knows, but perhaps perspective should be applied."

"Yeah, but you know what life's like, at the moment. With You-Know-Who waltzing around," said Josey. "There are hasty wedding announcements written every day in the paper. And there are a fair number of Hogwarts students mentioned in them."

Indeed the number of elopements, or very small marriages performed in the Ministry, was great. But none of the fours girls in the Head's common room could find blame with the frightened lovers.

"We're half-way done with this year," said Alice, suddenly. The others, however, were not averse to changing the topic.

"It's rather amazing," said Lily. "Only six more months."

"Barely," added Josey.

"It's even sooner for those of us that missed two whole months of school," muttered Nikeia.

"Oh, Nik," sighed Lily, before getting up and sitting herself down beside her friend on the couch. Nikeia, who was still stretched out along its length, smiled wanly.

"I do thank you, Lily, for helping me with classes. So much to learn…"

"And you're doing wonderful at it. You always were a quick learner."

"Thank you, my love," responded Nikeia, using a term of endearment that she only ever used for these three girls, and only when she really meant it. "I may learn quickly, but comprehension is slower."

Lily began to protest, but Nikeia's look stopped her.

"It's all right. I've got plenty of time to learn. James promised to help me with Defense, and that's one of my weaker subjects."

Almost tangibly, the question they had never asked fell into the room.

Alice was the one to ask it. "Nik… what happened that night after the Halloween feast?"

They had been told a brief story, but never the full.

Nikeia was silent. "There really isn't much more to tell. I was attacked, and I was unconscious for two months."

The girls accepted the line.

"I thank you for caring for me. I'm all right now. Really."

Lily smiled down at her friend, then lay down next to her. The wide couch accommodated both thin bodies easily. Nikeia draped an arm over Lily's shoulders, taking Lily's hand in her own.

"We'll all be all right," said Lily. "It's like what James said that day. We'll stick together, and nothing will harm us."

"Voldemort would be too afraid to touch us four anyway. Our men would easily take off his head," said Alice.

The girls laughed.

"Except he's already tried, Alice," said Lily, slightly regretfully.

"Well, stupid him then. He'll learn," Alice informed them.

The girls shared another laugh, and contended smiles.

James stepped through the Portrait Hole and into the Gryffindor common room. Spotting Antoine sitting alone by the fire, he made his way towards his fellow teammate.

"Hey, Wood," called James as he neared.

"Potter," Antoine responded, looking up from his book.

"Have you seen Lily? I can't find her anywhere."

"Yeah, she and Nikeia came in here just a few minutes ago and demanded that I give up Josey. They were threatening the worst should I not give her up."

James scoffed. "Them? Hurt you? They wouldn't dare."

Antoine guffawed. "Shows how much you know." Suddenly, he smiled. "Nah, they didn't threaten anything. They just looked threatening."

"Now, _that_ sounds like the girls I know. Where'd they go?"

"I'm not sure. But they sounded like they really wanted to talk, so I wouldn't go looking for them. You know girls; if they don't talk about something, they explode."

As James laughed, he removed a first year from a chair near Antoine. He placed the first year in the only open armchair before the fire, then took the hard wooden chair for his own. The first year looked on with shock. James ignored him.

"Girls are definitely interesting creatures," he conceded. Antoine nodded. "How are you and Josey getting on?"

Antoine's tan cheeks took on a slight pink tinge. "Well, we… we get on. She's a good girl, and I enjoy her company."

"She's a good girl and you enjoy her company?" scoffed James. "What are you; her old, blind aunt?"

Antoine glared. "No, I just… I just don't want to… I'd rather not let everything out."

"Well, tell me something before I assume the worst about you." James's eyes were hard and they looked steadily at Antoine.

"Like what?" Antoine challenged.

"I've heard stories of your past relationships, Wood. Seem to paint you as a bit unfeeling, if I remember correctly."

Antoine flushed, and his brow creased. "Well, that's because back then, I was rather. I was a popular Quidditch player—I still am, I suppose—and I enjoyed that popularity. Josey… my darling Josephine was enchanting when I first really saw her. She saw me for what I was on the outside, but also for the inside stuff." He paused. "I… I'm not so great at talking about this, Potter."

James was silent, still staring. "Well, I suppose as long as you know the difference between now and then, and since you used words like 'darling' and 'enchanting'…" He trailed off in a way that let Antoine know that he had not been found wanting. "Because, I'll tell you: Josey is dear to me, as my girl's best friend. I'm your captain, and as such, I expect you to behave well and as a gentleman."

"Well, that's rather rich, coming from you. You never had a problem with shallow relationships a few years ago," accused Antoine, not unfairly.

"No, that's right. And I didn't lead you players as I should have, perhaps. You all deserve a leader that's aware of everything, not just Quidditch and his own personal life. I've been made to see reason this past year, and I hope to try to lead you the way you should."

Antoine was silent. Then, he huffed. "Well, I can't really say anything else about that, can I?"

"Oh, I'm sure you could."

They held eye contact for a while longer.

They hardly noticed when Sirius approached them. "What are you two doing?" he asked, glancing from man to man.

"Just talking."

"Yeah? Well, don't look so intense. It's scaring the first years."

The first years were, in fact, fine. Some of the second and third year girls, however, were in utter shock at the intense expressions on both men's faces, which they deemed terrifyingly beautiful.

James smiled briefly, and looked up at his friend. "Where have you been?"

"Trying to find Nik."

James said "Ah!" and pointed to Antoine, allowing the Chaser to tell the story.

"She and Lily stole Josey. They're holding her hostage while they talk."

Sirius raised his eyebrow. "Stole? Hostage?"

"He exaggerates," quipped James.

"Not by much," responded Antoine.

James rolled his eyes, and returned his gaze to Sirius. "Speaking of Nikeia… I was just telling Antoine that if he ever hurt Josey I'd not be happy. The same goes for you and Nikeia. Don't hurt her."

Sirius was silent as he looked at his best friend. "James. I know that. She's probably too good for me, but I'm glad she's taking a chance. I… well."

James nodded, understanding and content.

"Well, that's enough serious talk for me," he said, rising up from the chair. "Padfoot, I feel like a walk is in order."

"A walk?" Sirius asked, his brow raising.

"Yeah, to see a one-eyed witch."

Sirius's lips twitched. "I think a walk would do me good. It's not as if I was just walking all around school looking for my girlfriend."

Antoine chuckled with James, but then asked, "One-eyed witch? What are you talking about? Not planning a prank, are you?"

"Oh, Wood, when aren't we planning a prank?" asked the incorrigible young man known as James Potter. He winked, then threw his arm around Sirius's shoulder. The two dark-haired men—twins from behind—walked back out the Portrait Hole, leaving a slightly confused but strangely unworried Quidditch Chaser behind them.

**Author's Note: **This is a new chapter. I put the original chapters 36 and 37 together into chapter 37, which gave me chapter 36 for this. That was one of the main reasons to re-edit the story; I didn't think there was enough conversation between our favorite characters. If you've read the story before, you should like the change. If this is your first time reading: you're amazing, thank you


	37. That Laila Girl

**Chapter Thirty-Seven – That Laila Girl**

During the middle of the week, a rather large group of seventh years could be found in the Gryffindor Common Room looking over old notes, reading heavy books or muttering together about various incantations, potion ingredients, or star charts. Granted, some of these students were studying rather grudgingly, but one glance from the auburn-haired witch kept them in their seats.

On principle, Sirius had continued to argue even after James and Peter sat down and started their work. Lily finally agreed to free them after an hour of studying.

When his hour of studying was up, Sirius stuffed the loose pages of notes into his book and stood. Citing exhaustion, he said he was heading to the lavatory and then to bed. Nikeia packed up at the same time, and after a fair amount of good-natured teasing about where the girl's lavatory was in reference to the boy's, she followed Sirius out of the common room.

As James watched Sirius and Nikeia leave, he saw Laila walking towards him again.

She greeted him with a broad smile and a wiggling of her fingers. "Hi, James." She bestowed her grin on the other men at the table, along with a "Hey, guys," but merely twitched her lips at the women.

"Hey Laila. Have you figured out that incantation yet?"

"Yeah, thanks. Your help really worked; I get it now."

"Good," James said, nodding and looking back down at his notes.

"But, we started working on something else in class today, and I'm afraid it's over my head. Can you help me again?" she asked, tipping her head so her thick brown hair swept over her shoulder.

James looked back up at her, and started to nod. "Sure, I think I've studied all I can for today. Lily, do you mind?"

Lily shook her head at him, and he very vaguely noticed the crease in her forehead.

"Thanks. Let me put this stuff back in the dorm, and I'll meet you at the fire," James said, beginning to gather his things.

Laila merely smiled at him again, briefly touching his shoulder. As she walked away, Lily was disturbed to note that every guy's head was following her departure. She glanced at her girlfriends, and saw that they noted it also. Lily kicked out, managing to hit both James and Antoine with her foot. They jolted, cried out and turned with glares back to the girls.

"Quit staring at her," ordered Josey.

"We weren't staring," all five boys said at once. The girls merely turned level gazes on them. The boys looked sheepish for a moment, and returned their gazes to their homework.

"Are you jealous?" asked James, leaning towards Lily.

"Why would I be jealous? You're mine," she informed him.

He smirked at her as he stood. "You are jealous," he muttered as he bent down and kissed her.

She returned his smirk when they parted and thrilled when he whispered, "I like having a girl jealous over me." He winked and walked out of the common room.

Lily happily followed his departure with her bright green eyes.

"Lily, you're drooling."

The redhead gasped, and put her hand to her mouth. "I am not, Jo!" She delivered a slap to her friend's arm, who laughed. "Get back to work, you liar," she said affectionately.

Josey, however, shook her head, and began to stand. "Shan't. I'm rather in a mood to go take a nice long walk with a certain someone." Her gaze was focused completely on Antoine, who returned it with a smolder.

"If you're lucky, that certain someone might take the shortcut to your favorite broom closet for a certain favorite pastime of yours," he replied, rather huskily.

Both Lily and Alice covered their ears and Peter squeaked. Remus and Frank rolled their eyes.

Josey couldn't seem to pack her things quick enough. Within mere moments, she and Antoine were out the Portrait Hole.

"Those two…" muttered Lily, rubbing her forehead.

"Indeed," responded Alice.

A hand touched Lily's shoulder, and when she lifted her head, James placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back later to go patrolling."

"Too bad you missed it," drawled Remus. "Antoine and Josey just took off for their favorite broom closet. You could've gotten directions and given them detention before curfew."

James scoffed. "Nah, we know where it is. And I'm sure they'll still be there later; we'll find them then."

Lily shuddered playfully. James turned away and found Laila before the fireplace.

Lily watched as he sat down beside her. Her brow furrowed when Laila immediately moved closer and spread her textbook on his lap.

"Bold, that one," murmured Alice.

Lily scoffed in response.

Before the fire, James attempted to talk Laila through a single charm. Unfortunately, she proved to be as slow at taking things in as she was the night of the Quidditch game.

He sighed and said, "You know, Lily's better at Charms than I am. Why don't you ask her?"

"Oh, no! Please don't give up me yet!" she cried, pressing her hands to his thigh and looking up at him through her eyelashes.

He jolted slightly at her nearness, but felt himself relax almost immediately. She was still looking at him intently.

"Just, explain it to me once more—I've almost got it," she said, almost breathily.

"Yeah…" he said, before finally breaking away from her eyes. He pushed the book back into her lap, and after collecting this thoughts, he began explaining again.

Suddenly, he found that she understood it perfectly. She waved her wand at the fire while she spoke the incantation (perfectly) and immediately the flames were put out. A few cries sounded from other people around the fire, and in the next heartbeat, Laila had rekindled the fire.

She turned to James with an innocent look. "You're such a wonderful teacher. The very thought of you giving up on me just spurred me into learning it finally."

James's expression showed that he was thoroughly dumbfounded, and a thought formed in the back of his head that had something to do with her putting on an act.

"Well, I wasn't giving up on you-"

"Oh, it's all right. Don't worry about my feelings. I understand."

James's eyebrows rose and he just looked at her. Then, he shook himself and realized he had been starting at her for a quite a few seconds.

"Was that all you needed help on?" he asked, brushing his hand across his forehead.

"Well, for now. We'll be tested on this charm tomorrow in class, and think we'll have to learn another one for the day after. I'll try to be better at learning next time." She was looking at him again with that naïve but strangely alluring expression.

"Great, um… I've got to go patrol with Lily. I'll probably be back here tomorrow if you need me," he said as he rose.

She grabbed his hand as he turned away, and when he faced her again, she said, "Thank you. You're such a wonderful man. If only all our teachers were as handsome and good as you."

James gulped and stammered a bit. "Well, that would surely be an interesting situation, I'm sure."

She tittered at him, bit her lip and wiggled her fingers.

He turned away again, shook himself and returned to Lily, deciding there was one thing he really needed.

Ignoring her stammers, he closed her books and shuffled her papers together. Grabbing her work, her bag, and her hand, he pulled her from her seat and towards the Portrait Hole. He threw their books and bags into the concealed hallway, and continued out of the common room.

"James? What are you doing?" Lily cried. James could tell that while she was leaning back in his grip, she wasn't really pulling away from him. "You could've torn the pages or smashed my notes!"

She didn't get in another grouse because he spun around, took her in his arms and kissed her quite deeply. He reveled in the feeling of her just melting into his embrace.

"What was that for?" she gasped.

"I just really felt like kissing you," he said, before he kissed her again.

"Well," she said, a moment or two later when he pulled back. "I appreciate the gesture." She caught her breath. "But, you'll have to do most of the patrolling tonight. My wits are fairly addled. I can't think straight." Her eyes were wide and a silly smile was on her face.

He smirked at her, kissed her lightly again, and held her hand as he continued to walk. "I'll take your breathless befuddlement to that dimwitted… whatever-that-was in the common room."

Lily giggled. "Is she that bad?"

"I don't know. It seems that way, but as soon as I mentioned you she seemed to snap out of it and understand fine."

"Well, then. Just keep mentioning that _I'm_ your girl, and you'll be done tutoring before you know it."

James laughed. "You really are jealous! How delightful!"

She smiled up at him. "Giving Josey and Antoine a detention for misuse of a broom closet might be more delightful."

"No," he sharply, turning to her. "Nothing is more delightful than you."

She melted again, and James obligingly caught her.

The following study sessions between James and Laila Albright went in much the same manner. She batted her eyelashes, placed her book in his lap and proceeded to struggle over learning a rather simple charm, incantation or occasionally a potion. Even Sirius scoffed when he heard which charms she needed help on. They happened nearly every night for the next week, even a few times during the day when Laila would catch him in the hallways or in the common room between classes.

Lily watched the exchanges closely. Josey, Nikeia and Alice teased her about the attention. She would chuckle, shrug it off and return her intent gaze to her book. At least, until she looked over at the fireplace again. She could _almost_ admit that she was annoyed with herself for spending so much time studying; she couldn't justify breaking herself away from the small study group of seventh to take James away from helping someone else.

She did admit that she was quite jealous. That Laila girl sat much too close to James in Lily's opinion. She also giggled and playfully smacked his arm and his shoulder. Lily was pretty good at Charms and she was sure that none of those gestures or sounds were necessary for casting a good Summoning Charm.

When Laila went so far as to press her hand against James's thigh (again) late one night, Lily slammed her book shut. She smiled tightly at Laila as she collected James and pulled him from the common room, citing that it was time to start rounds.

He merely shook his head once, then looked at Lily with a baffled expression.

"Why did you do that?" he cried, pulling back on her arm to stop her quick walk down the hallway.

"Because it's time to do rounds, Potter, and you weren't showing any sign that you were going to get up."

"But we were studying…"

"And she was getting _much_ too close to you."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his brow furrowed. "We were just sitting next to each other."

"She couldn't stop touching you."

"No, she wasn't… I mean, a few times, but-"

Lily glared. "Oh, are you just so used to fawning girls touching you that you don't notice it anymore? Relapsing into your old ways, are you?"

"Hang on, now! That's unfair. We were just studying. I certainly don't want anyone fawning over me! Unless it's you, of course." He smirked as he ruffled his hair.

Lily continued to glare at him straight-faced.

"Just… James, just watch what she does. Sit at a table from now on, if you have to. There's no need to cuddle so close on the couch."

"Cuddle?" James said loudly.

Lily turned and started walking again. She heard a scoff, then footsteps.

Arms wrapped around her waist, and James's chin rested against her shoulder. She put a bit of extra tension into her shoulders, and didn't stop walking.

"You know the only person I like to cuddle with is you," James whispered, kissing her jaw gently.

Lily felt her frown slip. When he kissed her again, she exhaled and smiled slightly. "And please keep it that way. I like that you're helping someone else study, but I don't like her batting eyelashes or high-pitched giggling."

"I love it when you're jealous."

"Well, really, you shouldn't. Because that means I have a reason. And you should remove the reason as soon as you can."

James chuckled in her ear. "Don't worry. She's getting better at learning. Shouldn't be too much longer."

"Good."

He chuckled again, squeezed her and moved to walk beside her. His arm around her waist was more affection that he had shown her in a few days, if she really admitted it to herself. Classes, meals and sleeping took up most of their day, leaving a few hours to study, do homework or spend time with their friends. James spent perhaps an hour with her, studying and doing homework. The rest of the time he spent with Laila, studying. Aside from that knee-shaking kiss a few days ago, he hadn't kissed her since. And now that she thought about it…

"Kiss me," Lily said, looking up at James.

He stumbled and looked down at her. "What?"

"Kiss me."

"Why?"

Lily scoffed softly. "Do you need a reason?"

"Well, no… it's just an odd thing to say…"

"You haven't kissed me in a few days. So, kiss me."

"What are you talking about? I'm sure I've kissed you recently."

Lily merely shook her head, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, I distinctly remember kissing you yesterday. As we did our rounds."

Lily continued to shake her head.

James started to argue again, but suddenly he froze. "Oh, I get it. You're just trying to make me feel guilty, aren't you?"

Lily gave him a confused—and slightly amused—look.

"Well, it's working."

And before Lily could say anything else, James pressed his lips to hers. It was a simple kiss, lasting only a few seconds. He pecked her once again, then turned and pulled her along down the hallway.

Lily was glad for the kiss, but it wasn't quite what she had been expecting (or hoping for) and the manner in which he gave it was strange for him. And what was that about not remembering that they hadn't kissed yesterday? Strange, indeed.

A heavy snow fell overnight, and during a break James and Sirius started up a snowball fight. Actually, Sirius started it by tossing Nikeia into the snow and attempting to stuff snow down her robes. She retaliated by stuffing as much snow as she could into his face. James, Lily and Remus stood by laughing, Peter, Frank, and Alice choosing to remain inside for the break. Josey and Antoine had disappeared right after class.

A snowball from Sirius shut James up, and he immediately started throwing snowballs back at Sirius. This allowed Nikeia to regain her feet and run over to Lily, getting out of the line of fire. They spotted Josey and Antoine, walking through the snow farther out on the grounds. Nikeia and Lily smiled devilishly at each other, and started a barrage of magically created snowballs careening towards the walking-and-snogging couple.

Antoine let out a shout of anger (though laughter was a clear undertone) and, like James and Sirius, couldn't resist starting a fight. His strong Chaser's arm came in handy as he ran and threw snowballs.

Remus intelligently stayed out of the fight at first, chuckling and rolling his eyes. Then, three stray snowballs somehow managed to hit him at the same time, and he found that he, too, couldn't resist joining the fight.

Their fight was interrupted when a snowball intended for Remus flew over his head and hit another student standing in the courtyard. She screamed, and immediately began pawing the snow from her brown hair, her two friends helping her. James ran up to apologize, skidding to a halt when he saw it was Laila.

"Oh, Laila, I'm sorry."

She giggled. "Don't be. I should know better than to stand with my back to a snowball fight. Especially when such strong and talented Quidditch players are around."

James just grinned stupidly, kicking the snow at his feet.

"Are we on for studying tonight?" she asked, sidling up to him. He noticed the envious looks of the girls behind her.

He stammered slightly, and suddenly found he couldn't look from her eyes. "Uh… uh, yeah. Tonight. Fire. Sure."

"Great," she said, breathily. She reached out and felt his upper arm. "So strong. Don't hurt any of your friends with that arm."

With that, she wiggled her fingers in "goodbye" and walked back into the building with her friends.

James started after her.

Suddenly, a cold mass hit the back of his head, and he snapped out of whatever reverie he had fallen into. It quite confused him, actually. It was as if unaccounted-for seconds had just passed. All he could remember were brown eyes…

Another mass hit his head, and he spun around, the idea that he was being pummeled by snowballs finally hitting his brain. He shook his head, and quickly jumped back into the fight.

A few more of those strange lapses in memory happened during tutoring that night, but this time they were different. He seemed to have memories of kissing Lily in their place. Only this Lily had brown eyes and wavy hair.

A sharp voice broke him from his thoughts.

"You're not paying attention to me," it whined. A pressure on his arm accompanied the sound.

He realized it was Laila, who was sitting next to him.

"I'm sorry… I was thinking about something."

"Well, it better be about this lesson. This is a tough charm and you'll need all your mental capabilities to help me through it." Her rather high-pitched voice was laced with innocence and giggles.

He couldn't help but chuckle back. Shaking the strange memories from his head, he returned to the studying.

Back in the Head's common room, he found Lily reclining on the couch.

"There you are," he said, leaning over the back of the couch to see her. "Seems like I haven't seen you in forever, but I know I was just with you." He smiled broadly.

She, however, glared up at him. "That's because you _haven't_ seen me in a while. I left the common room three hours ago while you were studying with Albright."

"Three hours?" cried James. "You silly Kneezle. We just were together in the hallway. For all that it's made of stone, the walls are quite comfortable for a good snog."

He smirked and leant down to her.

Her frown deepened, and she pulled away from him. "No, James. You've been studying for the past three and a half hours with Albright. I couldn't stand the way she acts towards you; I had to leave."

James was confused. He could still feel her in his arms… though the memory was a bit foggy when he really tried to think about it. And she looked different, in his memory. Brown eyes, and wavy hair.

"What's with all these false memories lately?" she asked, getting up from the couch. "I think you should go to bed. You must be tired. Sleep in tomorrow. Maybe your head will be cleared by then." And Lily walked away. The door to her room closed seconds after.

James was left quite confused. He thought for a moment, remembered another instance of kissing her in the hallway, and walked to the loo, happy.

She was the overtired one. She spent all her free time studying, so naturally she would be exhausted. Though, he had spent a good amount of time with Laila, looking over textbooks and learning spells. But it was always enjoyable time. She was quite a bright girl, that Laila girl, and ever so funny and clever.

James started water for a shower, smiling over memories of a brown-eyed girl laughing.

Lily, however, frowned as she stepped into her bedroom. He hadn't even remembered that it was her birthday. Every year, from the time he found out when it was, James Potter had teased her in the hallway. He had even charmed a cake to follow her around one year. He didn't know it, but she and her friends ate that cake with gusto later that night, mixing bites of marble cake with jokes at the Marauders' expenses.

Nikeia, Josey and Alice had small gifts for her—a hand-made scarf, a small bottle of perfume, and a delightfully heavy book on ancient charms—gave her hugs and kisses, and wished her "happy birthday", but James hadn't said anything. Even Remus and Sirius had remembered, offering her simple greetings and smiles.

It wasn't that Lily cared if people remembered, but she sure would expect her boyfriend to remember.

She punched her pillow as she pulled her pajamas off the bed. Changing quickly, she spent a moment brushing out her long hair.

She heard James's bedroom door close, and she stuck her tongue out at the wall.

She felt conflicted. She had never doubted his affection before, and while she didn't trust that Laila girl farther then she could throw a Grindylow, it hurt to see him so enraptured in the younger girl.

She sniffled and figured it was partly her fault for wanting him to be more serious and studious.

The whispered incantation turned out her bedside lamp, but the dense-sounding punch made her pillow more comfortable.

She sighed again.


	38. A Few Words, If You Please

**Chapter Thirty-Eight – A Few Words, If You Please**

The study sessions between Laila and James continued over the next week, along with the strange lapses in James's memory. He would still approach Lily, smirking and acting as if nothing had changed. It hurt Lily still to think that someone had come between them. She supposed it happened in every relationship, but she didn't think it would actually happen in hers. She figured that since James had spent the better part of five years trying to catch her attention that he wouldn't be sidetracked by a pair of brown eyes, frizzy hair and too-short skirt. Really, her school skirt had been taken up about three inches.

That Laila girl's coy little glances and guile-filled smiles set Lily on edge.

James didn't even tell her he was going to study. He just got up after the seventh year's study hour and went to the fireplace. That Laila girl would be sitting there, ready to wiggle her fingers to great him.

He had just left, one night, when Nikeia bumped Lily's arm.

"What's going on?" she whispered.

Josey and Alice leaned over, worried expressions on their faces.

"Nothing."

"Don't give us that," said Nikeia. "You guys seem distant."

"It's nothing I've done," spoke Lily, an edge to her voice.

"Lils…"

"Look, I don't know what he's doing. I don't know if he knows that he's doing what he's doing. I just know I can't sit here and watch them study together anymore." She began packing up her things, and her girlfriends sat back in their chairs, looking at each other.

"Maybe he's been bewitched," tossed out Josey.

Lily scoffed. "He's smart enough to be tutoring that dolt; he should be smart enough to tell if he's being bewitched."

Josey's brow wrinkled. "Uh, Lils? I think that's part of the definition of 'bewitched'. One doesn't know that's it's happening."

Lily scoffed loudly and threw her bag over her shoulder.

Sirius muttered, "So, this is how a woman acts when she hasn't been kissed in a while?"

Remus slapped him as Nikeia, Josey and Alice all cried, "Sirius!"

Lily ignored him, though her brow did crease.

"I'm going to patrol."

"It's still a bit early, isn't it?" asked Remus, not unkindly.

"Yes, but I want to be alone for a while." She pulled her bag over her shoulder and walked to the couch.

She frowned down at the pair on the couch. "James."

He ignored her, still talking to Albright.

"James," she said louder. He jumped, and looked up at her.

"Oh, hey Lily!" His expression was bright.

"I'm going to start patrolling.

"Now? But it's early…"

She didn't say anything, but watched as James turned worried eyes to his tutored student. "I'm sorry. I should probably go with Lily."

Was his grudging undertone just imagined?

Laila pouted. "But, I haven't gotten this charm yet."

"Well, just keep at it," he said kindly as he stood.

Suddenly, Laila's face cleared. "Oh! I bet I can find a book that would be helpful! Though, nothing could be as helpful as you, James."

Lily stared at her. "Have you no respect, woman?" she muttered under her breath.

Laila heard her. "Of course, I respect James. He's a wonderful teacher."

Lily rolled her eyes at the misinterpretation. "He must be, for you to be learning anything." She turned to leave the room, tossing her bag into the hallway as she passed it.

She heard James stammer, then say, "Why don't you come with me now? I'll walk you to the library and help you find the right books. I'm sure I'll be able to find Lily afterwards."

Lily heard a loud giggle come from behind her as she left the Portrait Hole. James and Laila—laughing together—exited a few moments later.

She started in the opposite direction from the library, waving over her shoulder when James shouted, "I'll find you in about an hour!"

She walked slowly, her eyes on the floor and a crease in her brow.

Minutes later, running footsteps approached, accompanied by a shout of her name. She turned, and saw another Gryffindor coming toward her.

"Lily!" The girl cried.

Lily recognized her as another sixth year and a reserve chaser, though she was unsure of the name.

"Yes?"

"Glad I found you. I have something to tell you." The girl caught her breath as Lily stood frozen.

"Yes?" she repeated.

"Merlin, you got far in only a few minutes!" She had straightened, but was still breathing somewhat heavily. "Though, I did get rather sidetracked at the Portrait Hole." The happy and sappy look on her face caught Lily's curiosity.

"Sidetracked?"

The girl giggled. Lily tensed, but realized the giggle was quite different from that Laila girl's. It was warmer and more genuine.

"Isaac Hoffmann asked me to the next Hogsmeade weekend." She giggled again, twizzling her toe against the stone floor.

Lily smiled. "Well, congratulations."

"I'm just so happy! He's so cute! I know most people don't think he's really cute, because his nose is a bit long, and he's rather skinny, and with brown hair and brown eyes he's rather plain and common, but I think he's just adorable! Even when he just said, 'Hi, Lauryn,' I—Oh, I'm Lauryn, by the way. Lauryn Ross. Anyway, I was just excited to hear that."

She was rambling on, and Lily found that the girlish chatter was rather endearing and strangely calming.

"And he's smart, too, you know. He first asked me to help him with charms, but I figured that was just his being shy, which is wonderfully adorable! So, he finally asked me, and I had the most delightful case of the butterflies in my stomach! There's a St. Valentine's Day party that night, since Valentine's Day is the following Wednesday. Actually, he just asked me if I was going to Hogsmeade, so when I said yes, he asked if I was going with anyone. So I nodded, and oh, Lily, if only you had seen the look on his face! His face fell, as if he was sad that someone got to me first! Then he asked, 'who?', and I said 'you' and he smiled again! I nearly lost my balance! Then I teased him about stumbling over his words and not just right-out asking me. And then-"

Lily held up a hand. "Lauryn? It's not that I don't care, because I'm as much of a romantic as anyone else, but I really should get-"

"OH!" Lauryn's eyes widened. "I totally let myself get carried away didn't I? Dear Merlin, I'm sorry! I was so excited!" She was speaking from behind her hands, and Lily still thought she looked adorable. She nodded, accepting the apology. "I'm such a scatterbrain! Anyway, I came after you because… because…" She looked down at the floor as if trying to remember. Then she straightened, and held up a hand. "Because I have something to tell you about Laila Albright."

Lily's face fell and she took a deep breath. "I don't really want to hear about her…"

"No, you want to hear about this! I think she's got a power over men."

"A power?" asked Lily with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, I've seen the way she acts around boys, or more specific the way they act around her. They never seem to be able to resist her… oh, her allure." Lauryn drew out the word sarcastically. "It's almost like she's part siren, or veela, even. Maybe not anything as much as half- or even quarter-blood, but there must be something in her heritage."

Lily's brow furrowed, and she realized that there could be truth to what the younger girl was saying.

She continued. "I've even heard her talk to her friends, the brainless tagalongs, about how she can get any guy she goes after. About how her mother and grandmother taught her things. And she's just so arrogant about it, but for some reason I believe her. She's the kind of girl that would share anything about her that would get others to revere her."

Lily could easily believe that Albright was arrogant. Then she realized she was probably biased against Albright's disposition.

"Listen, if she is using these talents of hers on your boyfriend then he doesn't realize what's he's doing. He's being lured in without knowing it." Lauryn's face was kind. "He's hurting you without realizing it. She's probably found a way to make sure he doesn't realize anything suspicious, since she can't be around him all the time."

Lily nodded slowly. "He's had some fake memories. Memories of spending time with me, or kissing me…"

Lauryn nodded more enthusiastically. "That makes sense. It follows with the research I've done. Though, really, sirens or even mermaids are known for seducing their prey and carrying them to their deaths quickly, which would make planting memories unnecessary."

Lily pulled a face, which Lauryn mirrored almost exactly.

"If James can stay out of her way, then he'll be fine. He'll realize what she's done, and what he's done. But the sooner, the better."

Lily was still, thinking of the past week or so. Then, she nodded. "He's in the library with… that girl."

"Then he's alone with her."

Lily's eyes widened, and she realized what could be happening.

"We have to find them," she said.

"And you have to get your boyfriend back."

The girls set off in the direction of the library. Before they rounded the corner, they heard voices.

**Author's Note: ****Quiditchfan**,an early and steadfast reader, is Lauryn Ross. Thanks so much for all your input over the years! Thanks for **Lantern** for the idea.

**Original AN **that I just love:So… Like it? _**Tell me.**_ Don't like it? _** Tell me. **_Love it? _**Tell**__** me**_**. **Hate it? _** Tell me.**___Ideas for help? _** Tell me.**___Want me to shut up… I will.


	39. Confrontations of Many Sorts

**Chapter Thirty-Nine – Confrontations of Many Sorts**

Before they even reached the library, Laila had turned to James and grabbed his hand. Stopping him in the hallway, she stepped close and spoke.

"Thanks for helping me out, James. I don't know how often I've said that, but I really mean it. I enjoy the time we spend together." Laila Albright placed her hand on James's arm. She took a step closer and disregarded the look of slight confusion on James's face. "How can I ever thank you?" she continued in a gentle, sultry voice.

James's breathing got shallower as she got closer. Her hand traveled up his arm and onto his chest. He couldn't speak, but he did realize that this had happened before. He remembered her being so close… but, no… it was Lily to whom he was close. It was she whom he had kissed in his memories.

Wasn't it?

Except, _that_ Lily had brown hair and brown eyes, just like the girl before him. But he couldn't have possibly kissed _this_ girl before. That would have been unthinkable.

So, where did the memory come from?

"Let me thank you…please?" Her voice continued to lure him, and he didn't move as she stepped forward. Slowly her hand moved up to gently grasp the hair at the bottom of his neck. After she had gained an inch or two by standing on her tiptoes, she gently placed her lips on James's.

"Forget about Lily… She can't ever really care about someone like you… She's not that type of girl. She spent so long hating you; it's not that easy to forgive. But I'm here for you James," she whispered against his lips before looking up through her eyelashes. "And I like you just the way you are, hexes in the hallways and all."

She lightly kissed him again. "She doesn't deserve you. She's so plain and ordinary compared to you. You deserve someone who'll be able to keep up with you."

As her lips met James's once more, something connected in the back of James's mind.

_This is wrong_… Her lips felt different and her body was shaped differently. She didn't fit in his embrace like she was supposed. How had she changed?

Perhaps he could make it feel right. He brought one hand to her hip, and the other spread its fingers into her hair, which was thicker and more textured. He responded gently to the kiss.

Not so gentle was the scream that pierced the air of the hallway.

They broke apart, but Laila did not let go of him. He turned immediately toward the scream, and saw the girl who should be standing in his embrace.

How was she on the other side of the hallway?

He looked down at the girl in his arms, and saw the plain brown hair, brown eyes and unremarkable face of… a girl he hardly knew.

He stumbled back, his eyes narrowed in confusion. He turned toward the girl with the red hair he loved so, and saw her head shaking in surprise and hurt.

He watched Lily turn away and run down the hall.

"No. Lily!" he cried as he started towards her.

Laila called to him. "James! She doesn't care for you! She's just-"

"No. I love _her_. You've done something to me. What have you done? What have _I_ done?" James continued to stumble backwards, away from the girl.

"You've done the right thing."

Her voice was bordering on shrill, and the same naïveté was present. The falseness of it hurt his mind. How had he never noticed it?

"I'm the only person who can truly understand you. Who doesn't want you to change," she said, attempting to close the distance.

He shook his head. "I didn't change for her. I changed because it was right. But I'd do anything for her. She wouldn't lie to me. She wouldn't try to trap me…"

He turned and ran full out in the direction Lily had left.

He passed a girl, who pointed the way.

That girl watched as he ran off, then she turned to face her classmate.

The classmate was scowling, her painted-nail fists clenched.

"You're so full of it, you know that?" asked Lauryn, cocking her head to one side as she looked at the other girl.

"What?" asked Laila, tersely.

"Full of siren blood, are you? Or is it veela? Perhaps mermaid?" Lauryn's sarcastic tone seemed to anger Laila further, and she was quite happy for the control. "You just can't resist twisting people around your little finger."

"How dare you?" cried Laila, flushing.

"Oh, quite easily," retorted Lauryn. "Anyone who'd stoop to such a level deserves to be taken down. It's pretty low, using your talents to take someone else's boyfriend. I pity you. I pity that you have to resort to such cruelty." She shook her head.

"Simple suggestions aren't cruel," Laila said, her chin lifted.

"Suggestions? How so?"

Laila looked at her for a moment, and Lauryn assumed she was judging whether or not she was worthy to become privy to a familial secret.

"Suggestions that he's recently kissed his girlfriend, only minor things are different."

"Things like hair color?"

Laila raised her eyebrow in response, and the other sixth year assumed she was correct.

"It's still not right."

"No!" Laila cried. "What's not right is the way she suddenly became his! So quickly. How did she do it? Perhaps she's the one you should be worrying about."

"Lily Evans? Bewitch someone?" Lauryn scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. They fell in love."

"Why is it ridiculous to think that she could be capable of something like trapping a man into loving her? She's a smart girl." Disdain heavily laced with sarcasm dripped from her voice.

Lauryn just shook her head. "You must not be much of a romantic; otherwise you'd know that their story is quite… well, romantic."

Laila sneered. "Romantic. They have nothing in common; they shouldn't be in love."

"Opposites attract," was all Lauryn said.

Laila shifted her weight from one foot to another and rolled her eyes as she also shifted the topic. "You're just jealous that I kissed James Potter."

Lauryn guffawed. "Heh. He's not my type. Though that breathtaking loyalty he showed right there at the end definitely does raise him in my estimation." She looked hard at the girl across from her, suddenly struck with a curiosity of Laila's past. "Loyalty. Perhaps that's it." She could hear her voice softening, just a bit. "You haven't been shown enough loyalty; you don't know what it is to be devoted and loyal. Do you just think it's a natural thing for people to leave, so you don't bother with the possibility of a lasting relationship? The possibility of unconditional love? I really do pity you."

Laila's jaw clenched, and Lauryn could see the tension that entered her body.

"I'm sorry for you."

Laila let out a shuddering breath, as if she was going to say something, but instead she turned and stomped off.

Lauryn realized that there was something else behind that girl's anger and guile, something that had hurt her. Lauryn frowned briefly, dearly hoping she wouldn't hurt anyone else. She was just glad that this affair had been diverted before Laila could get too far into James's find.

Then, her face lightened and she remembered; she had some tutoring to do.

"Lily!" called James, as he stopped at the top of the stairway towards his retreating girlfriend. Lily didn't stop running. James gave a huff of exasperation and went down the stairs three at a time. At the bottom, he continued running, quickly catching up and attempting to stop her progress with his shoulder. The block didn't stop her, unfortunately; she let her own shoulder glance off his, and she made to continue to run. However, James grabbed her shoulders and looked into her face.

She lifted her arm and slapped him.

Hard.

He squeezed his eyes shut in pain, sucking breath in through his teeth. James shook his head to get rid of the pain, and when he opened his eyes he recognized where they were standing. Not letting go of Lily, he led her toward a blank stretch of stone wall. James paced three times in long strides while Lily took her anger out on his shoulder. After the third pass, a door appeared in the wall, and James led Lily inside.

He heard gasp as they stepped into the small room. It was lit as if it was an outdoor courtyard, soft sunshine glancing off light stone walls, covered in ivy. A wooden bench faced a small pond. A bed of tulips ran along a wall, and bush of lilacs sent up their lovely smell. James pulled Lily into the room then turned to face her.

"I don't know-"

"How could you?"

"I don't know how! I don't even know what's been going on!"

"Oh, you pathetic hobgoblin. Why don't you run back to your study partner and ask her to help you? Perhaps she's better at understanding betrayal than _Accio._"

"Betrayal?" The word left his mouth with all the air in his lungs, and he felt his eyes widen.

"Don't try to pull that." Lily pulled her hand from James's and turned away.

"Please, believe me. I didn't know what was going on this whole time. The past week and a half—or however long—is a blur to me, when I look back on it. I recognize all these memories that I realize never happened. As soon as I saw you just now in the hallway, it became clear to me that there are incredibly blurry parts of my recent memories."

"You still kissed her, Potter!" shot Lily through clenched teeth.

"I don't know what happened there," James cried desperately. "_She_ was just suddenly kissing _me_! And for some reason I thought she was you. I'm sorry!"

"Oh! Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She didn't give him any chance to respond. "And you kissed her back! I've known the feeling…" Lily swallowed her sob and continued. "I've felt it enough to know what it looks like."

"Lily, all I know is that I have memories of kissing you, but you looked like her."

Lily cried out. "Kissed her before, have you?"

"No! No, that's not what I meant. I meant you look different in these memories. And, when I try to think of those memories they fall apart. I don't know what's happened." He threw up his hands, so confused and so wanting her to understand him. His heart hurt, and his head spun.

"You and your excuses!" she cried. "None of that made sense! And what about everything before that, huh? All those moments in the common room when you were 'tutoring'?"

"I _have_ been tutoring her! Haven't you seen that! You've always wanted me to care more for school work, and I can only imagine that you would have rather I spent my time helping others than making up pranks!" James's voice had risen to an angry octave as he looked at Lily; his eyes were full of incomprehension.

"Tutoring someone is one thing, Potter!" shouted Lily, turning around and kicking out at a short lilac bush. The petals released their scent as they were assaulted. "All those covert little looks and those little touches are something quite different!"

"I don't even know what you're talking about! I remember trying to teach a rather dense girl simple charms and incantations!"

He watched Lily roll her eyes and take out her anger at another lilac bush. His mind was reeling. He still had no explanation for the blurry parts of his memory. He realized that in a different situation, Lily's intelligence would probably be very helpful in his trying to unravel the past week. She would be able to point him to entire sections in the library with information on what had happened. Unfortunately, he figured she'd rather hit him with a Bludger's bat than tutor him in the ways of a bewitched mind.

Bewitched.

He froze as they word crossed his mind. Could that be the explanation? Had that Laila girl done something to his mind?

Suddenly, he realized quite clearly that every blurry part of his memory (where once were memories of kissing or spending time with A-Lily-Who-Looked-Like-That-Laila-Girl) was preceded by a clear image of Laila's brown eyes boring into his.

His mind attempted to process this in a few seconds. They _had_ to be connected…

Lily responded to his statement: "Yes, and right in the middle of tutoring you'd stare into each other's eyes with her hand on your leg! Perhaps those had to do with some incantation for Charms? Or she'd sit so close to you she'd practically be in your lap because that is necessary for some spell?" The derision was clear.

"Lily, I think those moments are important. I just realized that every blurry memory followed an image of her eyes. Perhaps if you stop overreacting, you can help me-"

"Overreacting?" She uprooted a tulip.

He let his head drop to his chest as he exhaled, knowing that "overreacting" was the wrong thing to say.

"Overreacting? Of course I am! How silly of me, not to see that my boyfriend was _welcoming_ these looks that clearly stated that another girl wanted him as her own! I wish I could show all those looks that hurt me so incredibly much!"

Suddenly, a pedestal appeared in the middle of the courtyard. A wide basin sat atop the stand, and James realized that it was a Pensieve. Lily must have thought about wanting to show him something from her thought.

He watched as her eyes narrowed at the Pensieve, and then looked around at the room. James realized that as she had never been inside the Room of Requirement before, she had no idea of its magic.

Before James could start explaining, Lily held up her hand and raised her wand to her temple. For several silent moments, she pulled out strings of thoughts. Finally, she beckoned James over, a fierce look on her pale features. She gestured to the pedestal.

Fearing what he would see—for the idea of betraying her love and trust cut him—but knowing that understanding was far from him at the moment, he submerged his head in her thoughts.

He watched as what he assumed was every scene from the past week and a half involving he and Laila played out. Numerous moments of he and Laila staring at each other punctuated the scenes. Those were the moments when she must have planted the false memories, somehow. Harder to bear were the scenes of Remus and Sirius wishing Lily a happy birthday, and Nikeia, Josey and Alice handing her wrapped objects. The realization that he had missed her birthday sliced through his mind and he groaned.

It took several minutes before he withdrew from the Pensieve.

"That I allowed all that to happen… I'm incredibly sorry, my love. I should have realized something was wrong, I know that. Only, I didn't think anything was wrong."

"You call me your love, but how could you have let yourself succumb to that if you truly loved me?"

James reeled backwards. The accusation deepened the cut. He gasped. "Magic and bewitchment work that way: they tend to make the person being bewitched unaware that they are bewitched."

A ball suddenly appeared in the air in front of Lily's face. She grabbed it and flung it at James. James was caught off guard, and the heavy red ball hit his collarbone. He cried out and cursed.

"Lily! That hurt! Have you ever considered trying out for Chaser?"

"Potter!"

"I'm asking you to believe that I haven't been myself, not because I wanted to, but because I had no choice!"

He wished she would believe him. It was almost like the previous years, when nothing he would say would make an impact on her. She had toughened her mind to his requests then, and the same was happening now. He knew that she was hurting; he would be the same if he saw her in the arms of another man.

His voice dropped to a whisper and he stepped closer. She didn't move away, but would not catch his eyes. "If you can forgive me, for even a moment, perhaps we can figure out what happened to me. There must be an answer to all this."

She pulled away from his attempt at touching her arm, and started for the door. "The only answer is that I have to go. I have patrolling to do. I'll take the lower floors if you'll take the upper." She opened the heavy wooden door and left the courtyard.

James cried out after her and then cursed loudly. He was angry at her for not understanding, and then angry at himself for assuming she would forgive him for that kiss with another girl so quickly.

He threw back his head and sighed loudly in exasperation. Unexpectedly, and seemingly without source, a deluge of water poured onto his face. He gasped as he whipped his head up and wiped the freezing water out of his eyes. He figured the attack had been Lily's last wish as she walked from the room.

He passed a hand through his hair and groaned. He would have to find the answer by himself. Perhaps once he had that, Lily would understand that the very idea of being parted from her made turned his stomach and caused an iron band to ensnare his heart and choke him.

Brushing his hair back once more, he stomped from the room and headed towards the fourth floor.

**Author's Note**: Again, thanks** Lantern **and **Quiditchfan.**


	40. Necessary Research

**Chapter Forty – Necessary Research**

When James entered the Gryffindor common room, he looked for his three best mates. They were not in front of the fire or at the table where he had left them before… before tutoring that Laila girl. Hoping they were in the dormitory, he ran up the steps, narrowly avoiding pushing a second year down the stairs.

He pushed open the heavy door and saw the other Marauders and Frank look up at him.

"Prongs, mate!" cried Sirius, as he looked up from the roll of parchment spread atop his bed. He glanced at James's face and uttered a "whoa". "What's with you?"

"Lily."

"What happened?"

"She... she's angry with me." James dropped to the floor, spreading himself out on his back.

The boys were silent for a moment, and James could see their exchanged glances and worried expressions.

Remus spoke first. "About the past week and a half?"

"About that Laila girl?" asked Sirius, rolling the parchment and throwing it in the general direction of his bag.

"You know," said Peter, looking up from a book. He was stretched out on his stomach on his bed, reading. "You haven't been spending too much time with Lily at all. I think she's got a perfect reason to be angry. She's jealous."

"Yes, thank you, Wormtail," sighed James. "It's not only that, though. She… she saw Laila kiss me."

All four boys started in shock; Sirius brought himself to his knees, Peter's chin fell off his hand, Remus whipped his head to James's direction and Frank straightened suddenly. They all exclaimed "What?"

James winced and closed his eyes. "We left the common room together, heading to the library. Lily had left before us and was already out of sight. Before we got to the library, Laila spouted all this blab about Lily not deserving me. Then she kissed me."

Sirius scoffed. "And, what did you do?"

James pounded a fist. "It's going to sound crazy."

"Prongs, what happened?" sighed Remus.

"I thought she was Lily. So I kissed her back."

Sirius and Frank both smacked their hands to their foreheads.

"You idiot, Prongs!" drawled Remus. "How could you do something like that to Lily?"

"I-"

"You betrayed her! And not even with someone worth it. You could at least have picked someone prettier."

"Sirius!" shouted Remus, throwing a closed jar of ink at Sirius. It hit his head with the precision that comes from seven years of practice.

"That's not what I meant!" shouted Sirius, rubbing the side of his head.

"Then don't say anything before you think about," instructed Remus.

"And don't say anything until I can explain, please!" cried James, cutting their banter short.

They looked back to him, frowns on their faces.

James brought himself to his knees and faced them. "I didn't think I was kissing Laila; I thought I was kissing Lily."

"That's ridiculous," shot Sirius.

"Well, yeah, but I knew it was wrong, but to my head it was right."

"James, you're not making any sense," said Remus.

James threw himself back onto the floor. "I know. I hardly know what was going through my mind. The whole time I was tutoring Layla, I didn't realize that I didn't spend time with Lily. I thought I was, because there are all these blurry memories in my head of being with Lily. But, they fall apart when I really think about them. Why are they blurry though? I can clearly remember _every_ kiss between Lily and me before this whole situation. And I thought I could remember them over the past week, but now that I look back on them they fall apart."

"I'm confused," said Sirius.

James ignored him. "Another thing is that I wasn't kissing Lily. I mean, it was Lily, but it wasn't."

"I'm confused," Sirius repeated.

"It was the same face, but different hair and eyes. She was even a different height. Brown hair, brown eyes."

"What, like Laila?" asked Remus.

James nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Every memory of me kissing Lily looked like Laila. And each memory is preceded by the image of her eyes."

"As if these memories are triggered by Laila's eyes?" asked Remus, slightly dubiously.

"I'm not sure. I just know that they're connected. As if she's bewitched me, or something."

"I suppose Laila could've done something similar to _Obliviate_, only with reverse effects."

James's eyes widened. "That makes sense. Except do any of you remember seeing her with a wand in her hand?

"Prongs, you were tutoring her for Charms. Of course she had a wand in her hand," said Frank.

James shook his head. "Well, yeah, but do you remember her performing any charm like that?"

"Well, I don't really know," claimed Frank.

Sirius shook his head. "I wasn't really paying attention."

Remus rolled his eyes. "No, we would've noticed if she had done any magic like that. At least I would have. It's not quite flashy magic, but it is an obvious incantation. I was watching because… Well, I don't know why I was watching." His face clouded over, and he looked down at his folded hands.

James ignored the confusion, and focused on his last statement. "You were watching and didn't think it necessary to tell me you thought something was wrong? Way to watch out for your mate."

"James, don't blame me! Frankly, I could tell things were tense on Lily's part, but you always seemed fine so I didn't think much of it. Lily reacts to stress in her own way; I just assumed she was feeling all of the stress from exams and essays. Besides, I don't actually know why I was watching. I don't even think I was watching you two because you were part of it."

"I remember watching her, too," chimed in Peter. "Laila, I mean. Without really know why, I'd find myself looking at her."

Sirius's brow furrowed. "You know, I think I can say the same thing." He looked to Frank, who also nodded in agreement.

James looked at all his friends, his face tight and a bit angry.

Sirius glared back at the upside-down face of his friend, since James was still lying on his back on the floor, then seemed to understand on what James was hung up. "Prongs, if you ever act like an idiot again, we'll make sure to tell you and make you snap out of it."

The corner of James's mouth lifted, and he nodded. "Thanks, Padfoot." He intercepted Remus's roll of the eyes. "A little insurance of friendship is needed every once in a while."

"Yeah," chimed in Sirius. "We let Peter hang around, bask in our glory-" Peter whipped his pillow at Sirius, though James knew that Peter enjoyed the status- "and we remind Remus rather brutally once a month that we're his friends, so it's only fair that we keep James from doing something stupid. Which is frequently. Job security."

Frank laughed, "And what do they do for you Sirius?"

"Keep my ego inflated. Indulge me."

Remus and James exchanged exasperated glances while Frank laughed again. Peter chuckled and Summoned his pillow back.

"What do you mean by brutally reminding Remus? They don't actually hurt you, poor fellow, do they?" Frank asked, looking at Remus.

The other four boys froze. James took up the explanation, with a quick glare at Sirius.

"Oh, you know. Remus is the, uh, type of poor fellow that is, um, afflicted-" He caught the glance from Remus- "by a strong sense of modesty. He doesn't require the constant attention of Sirius, but we find that displaying our affection at least once a month is just enough for him. A smothering of hugs, or wrestling, or a few punches, or pushing him out of bed… that's all he needs."

Remus gave James a slight smile and a grateful nod.

Frank didn't catch the look, but he nodded with a bemused smile. "Very well; I suppose I'll try to remember that."

"Anyway," put out James loudly, attempting to turn the conversation back to his problem. "We all were attracted to this girl, somehow? Without realizing how or why?"

"You were affected more, of course, but perhaps she was trying to affect only you," intoned Remus, sitting up straighter again.

"As if she was bewitching me, or something…" said James, getting off his back and turning to his friends again.

"Right. It's like what a veela does," Frank offered.

"A veela?" asked Peter.

"Yeah, a type of woman that makes men do strange things. Pledge their devotion, fall at her feet, make false promises," explained Frank.

"Don't all women do that?" asked Sirius. He returned four glares with a cheesy smile.

"Except," continued James as if Sirius hadn't spoken, "if she was turning on the charm for me, why weren't more of the guys in the room affected? If you all just found yourself watching her, but not fawning or looking like idiots, then she couldn't be a veela."

Remus and Frank frowned. "She could just be part veela. Or maybe part mermaid or siren. They all do the same thing, really," Remus said.

"Sneaky little b-"

"Padfoot!" shouted Remus, drowning out Sirius's profanity.

"Oh, don't be such a pansy, Moony," teased Sirius, finally lobbing the ink jar back. Remus only frowned as he caught the jar.

"So, what am I going to do?" asked James, once Frank and Peter stopped laughing.

"We're going to figure out what that Laila girl is. Ask around, maybe run to the library. And then get we'll Lily back," said Sirius, punching his bedspread in determination.

"What's this? Sirius actually encouraging research?" ribbed Remus, smirking.

"When it comes to Lily, yeah." Sirius turned to James, and looked at him hard. "That girl's the best thing that's ever happened to you. I might actually be jealous." He paused. "No, there are definitely times when I've been very jealous of her affect over you."

James was somewhat shocked, but more appreciative of his friend's affection and friendship.

"That Lily Evans deserves a full explanation, and we'll find it for her."

James just looked at his friend for a moment. "Thanks, Padfoot."

Sirius smiled faintly in response. "Just don't screw it up. I'm fond of that girl, but I worry for her intelligence if she's so into you."

James threw up his arms. "You just couldn't leave it on a nice thing to say, could you?"

Sirius smiled broadly again, before fervently accepting James's challenge of a wrestling match that pushed them both off the bed onto the floor of the dormitory.

Remus, Frank, and Peter simply rolled their eyes, and prepared for bed.

Meanwhile, in the girls dorm, Lily Evans sat on Nikeia's bed, as the taller girl knelt behind her. Nikeia was running her fingers through Lily's hair, preparing to braid it, and comforting her unhappy friend.

Josey and Alice were also on Nikeia's bed, their faces kind but worried for their friend.

"He couldn't have done it intentionally, my pet," Josey said, reaching out to put a hand on Lily's arm.

"He was certainly kissed her back intentionally," scoffed Lily.

"You mentioned that Lauryn whats-her-name was suspicious of that Laila girl. That she thought there might be something in her family that could account for James's actions," said Nikeia, parting off a chunk of hair and separating it into three pieces.

"Potter's actions are his own," Lily said coldly.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Not if he was under a spell or her influence. Bewitchments aren't supposed to be detected, especially by the person being bewitched."

Lily sniffled. "It still hurts."

All three girls let out coos of sympathy and converged on her in a warm hug.

"Of course it does, my love," whispered Nikeia, pressing a kiss to Lily's cheek. She kept her arms around Lily for a moment more, than pulled back. She grabbed another hank of hair (having dropped the first one) and tugged. "But you can't let that girl win. You said that James said he didn't know what he was doing. Yes, he hurt you, but there must be an explanation for it. Don't let her win." Her last sentence was spoken into a staccato meter, adding emphasis.

"Yeah, Lils," said Josey. "He loves you. We know he does. He wouldn't let some brown eyes—so plain and boring—come between—Hey!"

Alice had punched Josey's shoulder, having taken offense at the comment about brown eyes.

"Oh, not yours, of course, Alice. You have splendid brown eyes."

Alice nodded, pretending to be suspicious of the blue-eyed girl.

"Anyway, James wouldn't fall for such plain eyes like that Laila girl's. Not after loving you for so long."

Lily was silently, moving only in response to the gentle tugging on Nikeia's fingers as they deftly pulled her hair into a French braid.

"Don't worry, dear," said Alice. "We'll make sure the boys keep James away from Laila. Any spell should fizzle out before too long."

Lily smiled wanly and, feeling that Nikeia had fastened the braid, leant back into Nikeia's open arms. She sighed.

"I don't want any other girl kissing him ever again."

She felt Nikeia laugh, and watched and heard as Josey and Alice laughed along.

"Jealous, are you?" teased Josey.

Without hesitation, Lily put, loudly, "Yes!"

Lily Evans stepped into the library the next day, smiled at Madam Pince (who frowned back), and walked towards the long tables.

She froze when she saw the five young men who had spread out along an entire table and were currently perusing various tomes. She felt her eyes widen.

Suddenly, Potter looked over at her, and after a moment, smiled gently.

Though the smile made her knees weaken, she kept her face schooled and stoic. She promptly turned towards the tall stacks of library books and began searching. She needed to research the magically properties of Muggle trees for Potions. Naturally, Muggle trees weren't very magical, but they did provide a nice stabilizing to a volatile potion. However, the search for a book on Muggle trees would be difficult and require all her mental acuity.

The search was made less easy, when she felt the presence of a certain someone. She hadn't heard him approach, but she knew he was there.

"Yes, Potter?"

She heard him sigh, probably over the use of his surname.

"I'm sorry. I don't think you want to hear anything else, so that's all I'll say."

And suddenly, she felt him leave the aisle. She turned her head, and watched him walk away down the opening between the two tall shelving units. He was without a vest, and the usual crispness of his shirt was marred by wrinkles, but the silhouette of his broad shoulders and trim waist was still easily visible. The bit of hair that stuck up at the back of his head was stubbornly present, and Lily realized she was smiling slightly.

She shook her head, and turned back to her search for the right book.

Then, she felt a hostile glare coming through the rows of books. Knowing who she'd find, she looked up, her face tight.

Laila Albright looked through the space created by the book Lily had taken down, and Lily was rather pleased to find that she actually looked down at the girl. The brown eyes were blaming Lily for messing up her brilliant plan.

Lily simply slammed the book shut, and shoved it back into the space. It wasn't helpful anyway.

"That was close, Prongs!" growled Sirius, letting go of James's sleeve and shoving him towards a chair in the library.

"I didn't know she was following me!" whispered James, harshly.

Remus sighed. "We got him away from her, that's what matters." He began taking their notes out of his bag, and spread them across the table.

The Marauders and Frank had been walking towards the library after their last class, when the high voice of Laila Albright sounded from behind them. James tensed while the others turned around to face her. Naturally, she focused her gaze onto James, who had turned much slower. Having been warned about letting James be in Laila's company, and asked to watch over him, the four friends of James quickly rebutted Laila's request to study with her, and frog-marched James away.

James plopped down in the chair, and rubbed his face. "I could feel her trying to do whatever she does." He groaned softly, and gestured out towards the pages of notes they had compiled. "Do you think this could actually be the answer?" he asked.

"Lauryn Ross gave us as much as she knew, and combined with our own research and your experience, it all leads to this," said Remus.

"So… we know what Laila Albright is," James sighed. It had taken a few days to come up with the answer, due to the fact that they still had classes and homework to attend to, and that left only a few hours each day to do this research.

Sirius scoffed, pushing himself back so he could balance on the back two feet on the chair. "It actually annoys me that it's this simple."

James found he actually had to agree with his mate. The explanation was simple, but for him, it was enough.

"Now I just have to explain it to my Lily." He sighed again. "How?"

"It's gotta be big. Since you screwed up in such a big way, it's only appropriate to make up in a big way," was Sirius's input.

Remus rolled his eyes, and reached out to push Sirius. Sirius jolted, but managed to slam the front legs of his chair back on the ground before he fell backward.

In an instant Madam Pince was there to glare at him. He held up his hands in surrender, having learned that to not get into it with the librarian was best.

As she walked away, Sirius's eyes followed her. James watched as his face lit up when Nikeia walked into the library. She came towards them, smiling. Sirius opened his arms to her, and she settled on his lap, pecking his lips swiftly.

"What's going on?"

"We'll trying to figure out how to explain this all to Lily," offered Sirius.

"Well, don't go too big. She prefers the simple things," stated Nikeia.

James pointed at Sirius, and said, "Hah." Sirius screwed up his face in response.

"I take it that you thought something bigger was better," drawling Nikeia. Sirius's frown was her answer. She chuckled, and kissed his cheek.

"Just do it soon, James," Nikeia said. "She's just about driving me crazy with her studying and her moping. She needs you back in her life."

James nodded. "And I need her."

"Then… what are you planning?" asked Frank, leaning forward.

James's face took on a thoughtful expression. "Something simple… but big enough to be worthy of the Marauder name."

Both Sirius and Nikeia nodded in agreement.

"Well," Remus said, looking at his watch and standing. "It's time to do patrol. James, join me?"

James nodded, and began packing up.

Remus looked at Sirius and Nikeia, now whispering to each other. "I don't really feel like deducting points tonight—I'm too tired for it—so if you two need some time in a nice cozy alcove, we'll avoid that spot on the second floor."

Sirius grinned and kissed Nikeia.

Remus cleared his throat. "That means get out of here."

Peter and Frank snickered as Sirius and Nikeia glared up at Remus, and then looked at each other.

"Actually, I need to do some reading and research," said Nikiea, beginning to play with Sirius's thick black hair. "Perhaps now's the time to check out your favorite window seat…" He smirked, nearly dumped her off his lap, and pulled her down the nearest aisle.

The other four seventh year Gryffindor boys sighed and rolled their eyes.

"What would we do without them?" asked Peter.

"Live normal, calm, quiet and peaceful lives?" offered Frank.

"That doesn't sound too much fun," confessed Peter.

"And that's why I never allowed you and James to drown Sirius back in, what was it, third year?" Remus Smirked and started out the library.

James shared a look with Peter while Frank laughed. James shrugged, smiled, and hurried to catch up with Remus.

Peter shook his head and sighed. He tried to imagine a life without Padfoot...

It wouldn't be possible. Too quiet. Too boring. Too _serious_.

Remus and James walked through the hallways silently, enjoying the time to walk with each other.

"How do you do it?" asked James.

Remus chuckled. "You mean deal with the three of you without going crazy and committing myself to St. Mungo's?"

James laughed. "That, and know exactly what's going on and what I'm going to say."

Remus smiled. "Practice. And no small amount of affection and appreciation. You've done a lot for me, you three. You and Sirius especially." He looked over at his slightly taller friend.

James returned the glance with a smile.

"You deserve it, Moony old man."

"Not that I don't wonder what peace and quiet is like."

"Boring."

The young men shared a laugh, and continued to walk the hallways of Hogwarts.


	41. Necessary Reunion

**Chapter Forty-One - Necessary Reunion**

Lily woke up the next morning and sighed. She rubbed her eyes and just lay on her bed for a while. She remembered the few times she woke up with James lying on the covers beside her. She remembered his kiss and his embrace. How she missed them.

She got a hold of her emotions (a primary one encouraging her to slap James the next time she saw him, and a secondary one making her hope that she wouldn't see him in the hallway or their common room) and threw back the covers.

She paused outside her door, and didn't hear any evidence of James moving around in his room or the loo. Usually she could hear him stumble around, stubbing his toe or forgetting to actually open the door before he attempted to walk through it. She was rather amazed at how much of a morning person James Potter wasn't.

She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts, then went to get her ready for the day.

Josey had begged her to meet in the Gryffindor common room before heading down to breakfast, so Lily headed down the secret hallway. She didn't understand why Josey wanted to see herr; usually she walked down with Antoine, and they liked to have as much time to themselves as they could get.

She waited until no one was passing through the Portrait Hole, having found that appearing out of the solid stone wall was rather shocking for the other students.

When she stepped into the Gryffindor common room, she froze. Hanging above the fireplace, suspended in the air, was a large banner on which was painted, "I'm sorry, Lily," in a shimmery ink.

She felt her face flush as others noticed that she had walked into the room.

Josey ran over to her, her face split in a broad smile. "Oh, isn't it romantic?"

Lily spared her a glare. "No, it's actually a bit embarrassing."

Josey clucked, lightly smacking her shoulder.

Suddenly, Josey's grip on Lily's arm tightened, and Lily followed her gaze. Laila Albright had just stepped down from the girl's staircase. Her two friends ran to her, and pulled her over to look at the sign. Laila's fist clenched beside her shortened skirt, and she turned to face Lily.

Lily glared back. Josey took up a strong stance behind her, one that was strengthened further by Antoine's appearance over her shoulder. She spared him a grateful look, then turned back to Laila.

The sixth year approached the trio, her face schooled into an expression of control.

"Well," was all she said.

Lily didn't respond. Laila's eyes narrowed briefly, and then she turned to Antoine.

Josey immediately stepped between them, and glared back at the younger girl. "You even think about touching my boyfriend, and I'll make sure you pay for it."

Laila's eyebrow raised, and she took a step back.

Then, she laughed derisively. "Protect and coddle your man too much, and he'll just turn against you."

Josey's forward progress was stopped by a staying hand from Antoine.

"No, Albright," said a voice from behind the brunette. Laila turned and faced the other girl, Lauryn. "That's just your opinion based on some sad past."

Laila glared, squawked in frustration, then stormed off with her henchwomen.

Lauryn shook her head, and stepped closer to Lily.

"Ridiculous, isn't she?" said Josey, glaring after the girl.

"No, I think there's more to her," admitted Lauryn. "So I'd say it's more _sad_ than anything."

"Be that as it may, she better stay away from my guy," growled Josey.

Antoine chuckled, and wrapped his arm around her. "James is right; there really is something about having a girl jealous over you."

Lily smiled faintly, then turned back towards the Portrait Hole, mostly to avoid seeing the kiss between Josey and Antoine. "We should get down to breakfast."

As they walked down to the Great Hall, Lauryn and Lily walked a bit ahead of Antoine and Josey so that they didn't have to watch their perfected pastime of walking-and-snogging.

Inside the Great Hall, the sky was a clear blue-grey of a February morning and the air was filled with the delicious smells of breakfast.

It was a typical breakfast, aside from the fact that Lily sat three people down from James, and did not catch his eye. The sign in the common room had made her smile, and she admitted that she appreciated his attempt. There was just something about the whole affair… no, situation… that she couldn't put behind her as easily.

Easier was watching Nikeia toss grapes at Sirius and laughing at his attempts to catch them. It allowed her to avoid looking at James, whom he noticed was constantly looking up at her.

Josey must've noticed, because she mentioned the banner in the common room as if she had no idea who put it there. She sighed over the romantic-ness of it all, sending pointed looks to both James and Lily. Lily glared at her while James ducked his head and pushed around his breakfast.

The banner was still hanging in the Gryffindor common room that night. Lily sat with her back to it while she and the other seventh years did their homework. James was sitting with them, as far away from the fireplace as he could get. Laila walked by their table once, slowly as if hoping for attention. She was pointedly ignored.

Lily still didn't know whether to be glad or angry at James's very public apology. Granted, it was only before the entire Gryffindor House, so it wasn't as public as it could have been. She shuddered to think that he could've hung the banner before the entire school in the Great Hall.

She was glad that he took the time to make the banner, but angry that it was so flashy and Marauder-y. She supposed he didn't really know any other way to act.

At lunch on Friday, his Marauder-y actions continued. She had sat down—ignoring his gaze—and reached for her goblet of pumpkin juice. As soon as she touched the chilled metal, it turned into a white rose. Her hand jumped back and she exhaled loudly. Nikeia, Josey and Alice glanced over at her sound, and all gasped.

She avoided looking at James, and reached for her fork. It, too, changed to rose, this time a full red bloom.

Nikeia, sitting next to her, squealed.

She glared at her friend, then turned her gaze to her spoon, as if daring it to change. She again reached out, but instead of grabbing the metal of the spoon—or the stem of a rose—she touched parchment. She gasped, and stared at the roll of parchment. A small note appeared next to it, which she picking up after sighing.

Nikeia, Josey and Alice were still sighing over the roses. She rolled her eyes and began to read the short note.

_Please, read these. I'm sorry._

She glanced at the tall, dark-haired man and saw that he was looking down at his plate. The other Marauders had faint smirks on their faces, though Remus did smile kindly at her.

She looked back down at the small missive.

_If you won't let me explain, perhaps these pages will help you understand. I never meant to hurt you. I would deserve every slap if I ever harmed you. James._

Lily bit her lip at the sincerity, and glanced at James again. He was looking at her this time, and smiled. It was the most charming, endearing smile that had ever crossed his lips, and she felt her toes curl and her heart beat just a bit faster. Her lips twitched in response, and she looked back down at the parchment and her place setting. After gently stroking the smooth parchment, she reached for a cornbread muffin.

It turned into another red rose.

She exhaled sharply again and sent James a look of frustration.

"If everything I touch turns into a flower, I won't get to eat lunch and I'll be very annoyed."

James smirked slightly, and nodded.

"And, can I have my goblet back please?"

James smirked slightly, and created a copy of his own goblet, which he then floated over to her. Grabbing the goblet from the air, she nodded at him. As she took a sip of pumpkin juice, she removed the white rose from its place above her plate, and placed it next to the parchment roll.

She pretended to ignore the happy grins of her girlfriends.

Leaving the Great Hall after eating quicker than usual, Lily tucked the roses beneath her arm and unrolled the parchment.

It was a collection of notes, written in both James's and Remus's hands, which explained what had happened to James.

Apparently, the confluence of mermaid, siren and veela blood in that Laila girl created a rather potent natural power. The ability to entrance men and plant memories in their minds, and to use these powers on one person alone, as opposed to affecting every man in the vicinity as a veela would, was the extent of the powers. As the presence of all three non-human bloods was incredibly rare, other powers were less well documented.

Lily walked slowly, reading and rereading the notes a few times.

A certain note at the bottom of the last page held her attention longer than any other. The witch who was born with these powers also had the ability to affect one person closest to their target. This was done in an effort to remove attachment between the target and the person closest to them, and thus make it easier to seduce the target.

It seemed that, at that moment, a fog lifted from her brain, and Lily began breathing heavily, realizing that it was not only James who had been affected. She, too, had been bewitched: she had been so unwillingly to forgive him and so stubborn to the idea that he was not hurting her intentionally.

She could see now that he had indeed been bewitched. She knew he would never hurt her intentionally. Every kiss they had shared had proven that. Even the way he had taken the fall that night during detention proved the depth of his care for her.

She sniffled, then pressed the roses and the parchment to her chest.

She heard students moving from the beginning to exit the Great Hall and move to their next class.

As she walked towards the Transfiguration class, she wrapped the parchment around the rose stems, and tied the ribbon around the thin bundle.

Looking up, she saw James walking towards her. He must have left the Great Hall right after her, and taken another route to the classroom.

As she neared him, she heard her girlfriends and the other Marauders whispering together behind her.

James stepped in her path, and she stopped walking.

They were silent for a moment, then Lily started talking, not catching his eyes.

"James… these notes… I…" she sighed, and glanced up at him quickly. He was looking at her almost without expression, but for the smile was hiding in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you. I see that now. I was stupid, and-"

She heard his sharp exhale right before he took her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers.

She was stiff and surprised for a moment, but then she found she had no desire to ignore neither the beating of her heart nor the lively fluttering in her stomach. She gladly wrapped her arms around his neck, and could feel him smile against her lips when she kissed him back. His arms tightened around her waist, and he lifted her from her feet.

She vaguely heard Sirius sigh. "Could've been bigger. Should've been bigger, since he's such a git, but you can't have everything you want, right Moony?"

"Padfoot… if you had everything you wanted, the world would be a sorry place," retorted Moony.

"And I think that was absolutely perfect," sighed Nikeia. Josey giggled, "So romantic."

Lily broke away from James so that she could chuckle at the playful banter.

"Oh, how I missed them," murmured Lily against James's shoulder. She looked up. "I missed you, too."

"I'm glad to hear that," stated James, before kissing her again.

It was at that moment that the bell decided to ring. Lily gasped, and pulled away from James.

"We're going to be late for Transfiguration! McGonagall's going to kill us!" she said, loudly. She grabbed James's hand and started running towards their classroom. James laughed as he ran, enjoying the return of Lily into his life.

Those who weren't in Transfiguration jumped and took off for their own classrooms, laughing as they ran.

McGonagall was not happy that five of her students were late to class. She glared at James, Lily, Nikeia, Sirius, and Remus, tapping her foot on the wooden floor.

Frank and Alice, who were already sitting in their seats, noticed James's and Lily's clasped hands, and began grinning. Though they hadn't seen the reunion, they knew it had taken place.

"I can't even imagine why the four of you should be late. This should be good. Explain yourselves!"

Sirius decided to take that honor, but before he could say anything, McGonagall cut him off.

"And don't blame this on Peeves!"

"I'm not going to!" cried Sirius, indignantly. "I was just going to say James kissed Lily."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

Lily hit her forehead with her hand.

"They finally both admitted they were stupid and forgave each other," said Sirius with a rather innocent grin. Nikeia rolled her eyes.

McGonagall's quirked eyebrow quirked further.

"I don't understand how that stops you from getting to class on time."

"Well, since they were stopped in the middle of the hallway and kissing, they couldn't walk to class, so they were late."

"And what about _you_? Why are you late, Mr. Black? Are you so attached to Potter that you can't walk to class on your own?"

The class sniggered. Sirius narrowed his eyes at McGonagall. He started to open his mouth to say something, but Nikeia smacked his shoulder.

"We didn't leave James and Lily because we were all interested in seeing how it would turn out," admitted Remus.

"We knew they'd be fine but we're all romantics really, so we wanted to be there," continued Nikeia.

Sirius scoffed.

"Even him," said Nikeia loudly, glaring at her boyfriend. He glared back, apparently not willing to concede (before so many people) that he had romantic tendencies.

McGonagall pursed her lips. Then she threw up her arms in exasperation and turned around.

"Ten points from Gryffindor."

The late students grinned and took their seats.

James pulled his seat quite close to Lily, and took a hold of her writing arm. She didn't object.

She also didn't object to another ten points being deducted because of her and James not paying attention.

She was too busy grinning.

**Author's Note: **At one point, chapters 40 and 41 were one chapter, but it came out to fifteen pages, which I thought was way too long. Also, it didn't feel right to have it all together; it didn't allow for a breather in the trouble. So, I put chapters 42 and 43 together to accommodate. Just so you know.


	42. St Valentine's Festivities

**Chapter Forty-Two – St. Valentine's Festivities**

The Saturday before St. Valentine's Day dawned with clear skies that reflected in dazzling waves off the crystal snow. There was no wind to stir the snow and add the bite to the air that was typical of the highlands. The sky was a blue that was just what everyone imagined when someone said "sky blue." Nothing could be more perfect for a trip to Hogsmeade.

Dumbledore was standing at the window in his office, looking out over the Hogwarts grounds. He sighed.

"Well, Fawkes. It's a beautiful day. Hopefully it'll stay this way. The wards around Hogsmeade have been checked, have they not?"

Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, nodded solemnly. Dumbledore smiled and walked over to the flame-colored bird. He gently stroked the bird's head. Fawkes tilted it to better shape Dumbledore's hand.

"Perhaps…perhaps you and I should make a day of today. Would you care to join me on a trip to Hogsmeade, my old friend?"

Fawkes trilled happily and settled onto Dumbledore's shoulder. Then… they were both invisible. Dumbledore walked to this door and descended the stairs beyond after activating his security wards. They would alert him if anyone sought him out; judging on who it was, he would Apparate with Fawkes back to his office. (Being Dumbledore, he was allowed to do that.) At the bottom of his stairs, he spoke an acknowledging word to his gargoyle—who was used to Dumbledore's invisibility—and took off on a walk of the school. There was still quite a while until students could leave to go to the village. In fact, there were still a few hours until most of them would even be awake.

Among the four classes of Hogwarts students that were walking towards Hogsmeade—laughing, skipping through the light snow, or snuggling close to boyfriends or girlfriends—a group of seventh years could be found, walking in two lines due to the narrow road. An outsider would chuckle at the amount of shades of red they could find, but it would be a chuckle without derision. Each matching pair leaned happily against one another, but still talked and laughed with their friends.

Lily had linked her arm through James's, her mittened hand resting atop his grey wool pea-coat—he admitted his mother had found it in a Muggle store. She looked around at her friends, her grin wide and fond.

Sirius was giving Nikeia a piggy back ride, his thick woolen sweater (handmade by James's mum) stretched across his chest, and the fringe of Nikeia's heavy white poncho danced to the motion of his walking. Her cheek was pressed close to his, and was currently whispering something.

Frank and Alice walked gloved hand in gloved hand, not speaking but smiling in companionship. They were both wearing their winter coats over their matching pink shirts. (Frank had admitted to James, who had whispered to Lily, that he had to be heavily persuaded by Alice to magically change the color of his shirt to match Alice's. He didn't appear to truly mind, however.)

Josey and Antoine were at the rear of their party, being quite predictable in their actions (walking-and-snogging) as well as in their outfits (scarlet tops over black bottoms).

Lily rolled her eyes, and turned to look up at Remus, who was walking beside them.

She slipped her arm through his, returning his smile with a grin of her own.

"You look very nice, Remus. Meeting someone in the Village?"

Remus scoffed, and shook his head. "No, just thought it would be nice to look nice."

Lily chuckled and squeezed his arm. "Well, I'll gladly meet you in the Village for a butterbeer."

Remus laughed this time, and did a rather impulsive thing for him: he leaned over and kissed Lily's cheek.

James cleared his throat, but both Lily and Remus ignored him.

They walked a bit further, and then Lily suddenly realized something.

"Where's Peter?" she asked, looking around at their group.

"Oh, he slept in. Didn't much feel like walking around with a bunch of lovey-dovey people, he said," explained Remus. "Said he might walk down to grab a butterbeer or some supplies, if he needed to, later."

"Sleep in?" asked James. "It's nearly noon!"

"Prongs, you know Peter. When he gets a chance to sleep in, he takes it and makes the most of it," chuckled Remus.

James pulled an "Oh, yeah" face, and nodded.

"Hey, has anyone else noticed that 'James,' 'Sirius' and 'Remus' all end in an 's', but 'Peter' doesn't?" asked Nikeia.

"So. What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sirius, confused and a bit defensive as he twisted to look at his girl.

"I do not know," admitted Nikeia, laughing slightly. "I just thought it was an interesting observation. Kind of ironic, yeah?"

Sirius shrugged, bumping Nikeia's chin with his shoulder. She feigned hurt, and he managed to lean his head back and kiss the injury.

They continued to walk into Hogsmeade, greeting other students walking on the road. As they walked, they also decided to all grab drinks at the Three Broomsticks together, rather than splitting up and trying to meet up later. The Valentine's Day festival was ongoing, starting after three. Music and dancing would be available, as well as food and treats from the village stores and shops.

The group walked into the Three Broomsticks, apologizing to those nearest the doors for letting in so much cold air.

The young gentlemen sat their ladies (and Remus, who teased them about stealing all their girls while they were grabbing drinks) at a large round table, then walked up to the bar.

"Good afternoon, gents. Happy St. Valentine's Day, though I guess you already knew that," said Rosmerta, smiling as she popped the tops of the butterbeers. "I assume you'll be attending the little festival, here in the village?"

The four men nodded, smiling rather shyly.

James said, "All the decorations along the streets look great. I trust your talented and lovely hand supervised most of the work?"

Madam Rosmerta giggled, then playfully swatted his shoulder. "Now, James Potter, I'm not the one to be flirting with. Speaking of flirting, what are you all planning to do today?"

The "gents" looked at each other, silently urging the other to go first.

"Now, don't all of you speak at once; I can't understand any of you when there are four voices crowding my ears," chuckled Rosmerta.

Frank cleared his throat and spoke. "Alice and I are going to that new nursery that opened. We both love Herbology, so I thought that would be a good idea."

"As long as you remember to buy her a pretty little plant, Frank," hinted Rosmerta. Frank chuckled, and nodded. "And you, Sirius?"

"I'm not sure. I thought we could just walk around. Maybe check out Zonko's..."

"Oh, well aren't you romantic."

Sirius's eyes widened as the other guys laughed.

"Well, what should I do?" he asked, planting his hands on the counter.

"Whatever you want," smiled Rosmerta. Sirius threw up his arms in exasperation. Rosmerta laughing, patted his hand, and turned to James with the same question.

"Well, I feel I should get her another present after being such an idiot a week ago. I've got one gift already, but I want another."

"Such an idiot? Dear Merlin, what happened?" asked Rosmerta.

"A little run-in with a mermaid-siren-veela girl in our House," was all James said.

Rosmerta gasped. "Well, that sounds dangerous." She froze. "It wouldn't be a sixth year, would it? Brown hair, brown eyes, rather short? Albrecht, or something?"

"Albright. Laila, yeah. How did you know?" asked James.

"Oh, I've been suspicious of her for a while. She always seemed to have another young man trialing after her whenever she came in here," Rosmerta said, almost growling. "She ran in here for about five minutes today, before running off to Puddifoot's, dragging some poor boy around." Rosmerta sighed.

"It figures she doesn't know good food and drink," said Sirius, winking at the older landlady. She laughed and patted his hand again.

She looked back at James and said softly, "There's a new shop that just opened up. A chocolate shop. Perhaps that would be a good place for you to start." She winked and James winked back conspiratorially.

Rosmerta looked at the fourth man in their group. "And... Antoine, isn't it? I figured I had recognized your face from the newspaper. They have a section all about Hogwarts' Quidditch, did you know that?"

The young men shook their heads.

"How do I look in the paper? Not as good as in person, right?" asked Sirius arrogantly.

"You're not on the Quidditch team, you dolt," said James exasperatedly.

"I know... but I'm the life of the Quidditch after-party!"

"And where would the _Hogsmeade_ newspaper get pictures from _inside_ Hogwarts?" asked James, hitting his friend's head with the back of his hand. The others laughed as Sirius muttered his excuses incoherently.

"All right... Antoine, what are you doing with Josey?"

"How did you know I was going out with Josey?" Antoine asked in surprise.

Rosmerta leaned forward. "I know a lot, my dear," and she winked again.

"Oh, I see. Well, I don't know exactly. I was figuring we'd grab a bite to eat, maybe some candy, and go sit… well, sit somewhere." His cheeks started to turn red.

Rosmerta looked at him carefully. "I do believe you were planning a trip to Puddifoot's."

Antoine's blush deepened. Rosmerta let out a loud laugh.

"Now, don't you fret! I prefer to see talking couples in my store, not snogging couples."

The other three boys guffawed at Antoine's still redder blush and clapped his back.

"You know..." started Sirius thoughtfully. "Snogging's not a bad idea."

The men and Rosmerta laughed, and the landlady pushed the drinks forward.

They rejoined their girls at the table, all who remarked on Antoine's blush. He ignored them and pulled Josey's chair closer. She placed a kiss on his cheek, smiling happily at him.

James shared a roll-of-the-eyes with Lily, then held up his bottle of butterbeer in a silent salute.

An hour later, after a second round of butterbeer and a large tray of appetizers, James and Lily stood and headed back out into the nippy February air.

They took only a few steps into the road, when James saw Lauryn Ross, the girl that had come up to him the day after the argument with Lily and told him what she knew about that Laila girl, walking forward with her arm linked with that of a tall, thin boy.

Lauryn caught sight of the older pair, and waved her arm. Lily waved back, and waited for them to catch up.

James greeted Lauryn first, adding a "thank-you" to the end. Lauryn smiled broadly back.

"I'm glad you two are back together. Anything to thwart that selfish little-" She swallowed her next word, and smiled shyly. "She tried to make me believe that Isaac had fallen—Oh! But you haven't meant Isaac!" She gave a little hop, then pulled Isaac forward slightly. She introduced him to Lily and James, and if her grin and his shy smile were any indication, they were quite happy to be together on this day. "She tried to make me think that… well, she just tried her hardest to make me angry at Isaac." She looked up at him again with a bright smile. "It didn't work, of course."

Isaac's blush and the broadening of his smile betrayed his happiness.

"I'm glad to hear that," said Lily, touching Lauryn's arm lightly. James nodded in agreement. "What are you two planning on doing today?"

"Well," spoke Isaac in a clear tenor, "I was thinking butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks, then we could just walk through the stores, and such. I've wanted to go to Zonko's this whole school year, but didn't get a chance to last time we had a Hogsmeade weekend. Lauryn's agreed to join me."

Again, Lauryn's grin denoted her joy. James found that her smile was contagious, and he began grinning also. He noticed Lily's beautiful face was made even lovelier by the grin that spread across her own lips.

"Well, Isaac and Lauryn, I hope you two enjoy your day. Don't have too much fun at Zonko's," Lily teased. They parted ways, Lily returning the wiggling of fingers Lauryn gave.

When she and James had a walked a few more feet, and heard the bell above the door at the Three Broomsticks tinkle, she laughed.

"Young love," James sighed, before grinning down at her. She returned the smile, then suddenly stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips.

He stumbled backwards slightly, but managed to balance himself and hold her up. He laughed when she pulled away, and said, "What was that for?"

"Do I need a reason?" she asked. "Here, I'll give you three: I have a whole week and half to make up; I haven't kissed you since before we left the castle, and their utterly adorable joy just made me want to kiss you."

James laughed. "Well, those are wonderfully good reasons to me." He kissed her again, pulling her closer and pushing one hand into her braided hair.

A passerby whistled at them, since they were standing in the middle of the road in the center of Hogsmeade.

James and Lily separated and smiled at the older couple walking by, it having been the man who had whistled at them.

James kept his arm around Lily, and continued walking.

"There's a store up here that I want to go into. Madam Rosmerta mentioned it, and I think you'll like it," James said, gesturing up the street.

They approached the storefront, decorated with red and silver ribbons, and boxes shaped like hearts.

Lily gasped. "This is the same spot where Edgar's Enchanted Emporium of Fashion was!"

James looked around, and realized that she was right. "Well, those enchantments must be really strong, but I'd say they're worth it, for all the galleons the owners must rake in."

Lily chuckled and nodded.

The store had been remodeled into a single-story brick building, with round latticed windows. A dark red awning stretched over the door, with the words "Patricia and Charles's Pâtisserie et Chocolaterie" painted in a shimmery bronze paint.

James held open the door and handed her in.

The inside was dimly lit, and smelled of bittersweet chocolate and oranges. Lily breathed deep and smiled happily. James realized at that moment that it was a very wise choice to come here. He'd have to buy something small for Madam Rosmerta. He probably would have walked up and down the streets without an idea if she hadn't mentioned it. He was originally thinking to have her pick out a book, but wasn't sure if that wasn't too stuffy and impersonal.

"Good afternoon, young lovers!" said a voice that had a faint French accent. It came from the middle-aged woman standing behind the counter. Her curly hair had powdered sugar in it, and a chocolate smudge ran across her round cheek. "Patricia" was embroidered across her chocolate covered apron.

James smiled at her, and led Lily to the counter. "All right. Pick out whatever you want. My treat, of course," he said.

Lily grinned at him, and began perusing the contents of the glass display cases.

"Actually, my dear, if you wait a moment, your young man must do something first." The woman reached behind the counter and pulled forth a glass orb. She handed it to James, who glanced at Lily with a curious face. Lily shrugged. James grabbed the orb, and held it in his two cupped hands, as Patricia was showing him. The orb began to cloud over, and Lily leaned closer. "Now, James, think-"

"How did you know my name?" asked James, his head lifting sharply up from the orb to look at the other woman.

She chuckled. "I would assume the captain of Gryffindor Quidditch team would assume that his name was well known around town."

James accepted the answer, and looked back at the orb.

"Now, think of your love."

James could sense Lily's eyes on his face as he stared at the orb. He had no trouble thinking about her beauty and her intelligence, the way she brightened his heart and truly listened to him, the funny way she squealed when he kissed her ear and the feel of her in his arms, and how much he loved her. He faintly noticed the smoke inside the orb begin to swirl faster and change colors. Just as faintly he noticed Patricia smile and walk away.

When she returned, she had a rectangular silver box in her hand, wrapped in a light green ribbon. She placed the box on the counter, and gently removed the sphere from his hands.

"What _is_ that?" he asked.

"_That_ was a family secret. I can't tell you what it was. I can tell you... that this on the counter in front of me is just what you want for your girl..." Patricia's eyes twinkled at Lily, whose own eyes widened. She reached out for the box, but Patricia's hands deftly moved it away.

"Now, now, you must be patient." Patricia's eyes twinkled again, and she turned to the back of the store. She called out the name "Charles!" and waited.

A rotund man appeared at the archway, which James assumed led to the kitchen and workroom. He had a chubby face, and even more sugar and chocolate smeared across his face and apron.

"Charlie, we have a young woman here…" Patricia said, holding out her hand.

The man smiled broadly, and rubbed his hands together. In a deep voice, also accented with French, he said, "_Magnifique! Un moment_!" He tottered back into the other room and appeared again almost instantly, holding a second orb in his hands. This one was slightly larger, and made of a cloudier, denser glass. He grinned at Lily, and held the orb out to her.

Lily hesitated for a moment, glanced at James, who shrugged, and then she took the orb into her hands.

The same swirling of colored smoke occurred inside the glass, but the colors were slightly different and moved more slowly. James watched Lily's face, and his heart beat faster at her expression.

Charles chuckled deeply, and reached to his left. James didn't follow his movement; he kept his gaze on Lily's face.

Charles pulled forth a round black box, wrapped with a dark blue ribbon.

"And this," he said, putting the box on the counter with one hand and removing the orb from Lily's hands with the other, "is for your young man here, Lily."

Lily started in the same way James had, and also asked how Charles knew her name.

Patricia answered as Charles chuckled again. "Hogwarts Head Girl, very pretty, very smart, and the Quidditch Captain's girlfriend. Your name is known in Hogsmeade, as well."

"Indeed it is, _mon cheri_. A very beautiful woman you have here, young sir," Charles said.

James wrapped his arms around Lily, and squeezed her to his chest.

Charles laughed again, and leaned over to place a kiss to Patricia's chest. "Not as beautiful as my Patricia, of course! But lovely, nevertheless!"

Patricia twittered, then poked Charles's ample girth. "Oh you, get back to the kitchen."

Charles chuckled again (James couldn't help but wonder how much chocolate he snuck into his mouth as he worked in the kitchen), and from Patricia's squeak and jump, must have tapped Patricia's bottom.

Lily and James held back their snorts of laughter at the string of French that Patricia sent to follow her husband back into the kitchen. She spoke as she laughed, and Charles just continued to laugh as he disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Oh, these men of ours!" Patricia said, looking to the ceiling.

James felt Lily's laugh on his chest.

"Indeed," Lily said, and James could tell that she was grinning.

Patricia pushed both boxes towards the couple, her cheeks flushed.

"Oh…" Lily looked down the gift. "Um, I wasn't actually… well, I wasn't planning on buying anything." Her voice was small and shy.

Patricia laughed. "Then let your boy here buy them; he'll enjoy them and not count it wasted money, I'm sure."

Lily smiled, and leaned backwards and to the side to look up at James. James had narrowed his eyes at the owner of the store.

"I'm sure she's right, James," Lily said, looking up through her eyelashes at her boyfriend.

He turned his narrowed eyes on her, then sighed. "Very well."

He took his arms from around her, and moved towards the old-fashioned register, playfully glaring over his shoulder.

The cost of the gift was four galleons and two sickles, which James found to be a delightful price.

He thanked Patricia with a smile, and shouted back a "thank you" to Charles, then returned to Lily's side.

As they neared the door, Lily turned suddenly.

"I'm sorry. I'm just curious. What happened to Edgar?"

Charles, who had reappeared, answered, "Oh, he is my younger brother! He does not have the disposition for a chocolate shop or a restaurant, so he asked us to watch the store for him this month!"

Lily nodded. "That's sounds like a wonderful set-up."

"Oh, it is indeed," said Patricia, leaning into Charles's wide embrace. "With you students from Hogwarts, and the people in the village, it's a nice place for a little business."

"And Edgar has such a head for business," put in Charles.

"And what will the store become after this?"

Patricia chuckled. "Perhaps it will stay a chocolate shop. A restaurant is also a possibility."

"I just hope we'll be able to come back and see it again," opined Lily.

"Whenever you can, mon cheri!" chuckled Charles, flapping his hand in "goodbye".

James led Lily out of the shop, wishing them goodbye and a good day.

He wrapped his arm her again, and pressed a kiss against her hair. She moved closer into his embrace, not there was much closer to get. Espying a corner ahead, he began to smirk.

"James, the rest of the stores are back that way," Lily said, gesturing over her shoulder.

James didn't respond vocally, but continued to smirk. She repeated his name, but soon found herself quite distracted.

He swung her around the corner and pressed her against the wall of the brick building. Giving her one second to see his smirk, he kissed her. Deeply kissed her.

He felt her slide a bit down the wall from weak knees, and he gladly wrapped one arm around her torso to keep her on her feet, bracing himself against the wall with the length of his forearm against the cold brick.

Moments later, he slowly broke away, breathing deeply, and pressed his forehead to hers. She, too, was breathing heavily and her cheeks were flushed. He opened his eyes to look over her face. He gave her one second more, then kissed her again.

She continued to be afflicted with weak knees, for she put some of her weight against the wall and the rest against him; she had taken hold of the lapels of both his thick wool jacket and his burgundy shirt, and leaned heavily against his arm around her back.

Moments later, they separated again, still breathing heavily and with closed eyes. They pressed their foreheads together again, breathing the same air as they collected their emotions.

"Well," was all James could say. Lily giggled, and pecked his lips quickly.

He hugged her, looking down at his watch as he did so. "It's about time for the festival to start. Let's seek it out, shall we?"

"If we must."

James laughed, but linked her arm through his and guided her back to the main street.

After a few hours on the far side of town, just before the Shrieking Shack, dancing under pixie lights, eating delicious snacks, and laughing a great deal, the same group of seven years that walked to Hogsmeade together began to walk back towards their school.

Lily, her hands tucked securely between Remus's arm and torso, looked back at James, who was walking with Alice. Frank and Sirius shared Nikeia's arms, giving her enough support that she was able to jump into the air and pretend to walk on it for a step of two. Josey and Antoine had showed up at the dance for about half an hour, but headed back to Hogwarts early.

It had been Alice's idea to switch dance partners towards the end of the festival. This gave Remus a chance to dance, and Sirius and Frank a chance to fight over Nikeia. Then, after dancing the very last dance with their original dates, Alice suggested walking back to school with a different person. Lily loved the idea, and enjoyed walking next to Remus.

She smiled at him, and asked, "Did you have a nice time?"

He nodded. "It was a very nice time. It seems that with all that happened recently—parents dying, and Nikeia being attacked, and James being befuddled by some combination of magical female—we all needed a chance to relax and have fun. This was quite perfect."

"Yes, I agree," said Lily. "You know, I enjoy having you as a friend."

Remus looked down at her rather sharply, a bemused look on his face.

"Where did that come from?"

"I mean it! You always seem to be that bit of calm in life that doesn't change, doesn't waver. I don't think I've ever told you that I was grateful for your friendship."

Remus looked down to watch his feet on the snowy road. He was silent, but his hand moved to press Lily's hands tighter to his arm. He glanced at her briefly, and his smile spoke his gratitude.

She laid her head on his shoulder and continued to walk in step with him. She could hear James laughing with Alice, and Sirius and Frank playfully bickering over Nikeia. She closed her eyes to let the sounds sink in and take over. The faint smile on her face remained even once they regained the school and entered into the warmth of the building. She remained at Remus's side as they led the group up to the Gryffindor common room.

They passed Gamekeeper Hagrid as they walked, and they all greeted him with grins and warm words.

They also passed Lauryn and Isaac, who had in fact left Hogsmeade quite a bit before the seventh years, but were walking so slowly that they were easily passed. Lily rolled her eyes and grinned at their giggles and whispers.

Promising to meet back in the Gryffindor common room, Lily and James returned to their common room to put up their outdoor gear.

Lily caught James shaking and smelling the boxes of chocolates when she came out of her room. She scoffed and pulled them from his hands.

"These are for Wednesday; we'll open them then."

James whined, "Why should we wait? You're my Valentine any day and everyday. You can open yours now, if you like."

Lily laughed at his ploy, but relented. Putting his box back in his open hands, she began to take the ribbon off her own.

James stopped her, saying that he didn't _actually_ give her permission to open the chocolates. When she began to protest, he held up his hand.

"I've got something else I'd rather you saw first. Wait here." He balanced the chocolates on the back of the sofa, and took off for his bedroom. Lily waited, sighing, but very curious. She wondered if she should get the small present she had for him, but decided that she'd rather not risk his wrath should he find her somewhere else than where she should be.

When he reappeared, he was holding a large package behind his back. Her stomach sank just a bit, knowing that the ties that once belonged to her father that she had taken from her parents' house were much smaller than what he was carrying.

His lips were twitching in an effort to hold back a grin, she could tell, as he held the package out to her.

Carefully, she pulled back the brown paper, and then the tissue paper. Then, her fingers touched fabric, and she drew out a large quilt made of brightly colored squares of patterned fabrics.

"James, it's beautiful!" She held the blanket before her, finding the weight of it in her hands to be perfect, and the feeling of the fabric to be delightful.

"Mum made it for me. Well, for the girl of my choice. Well, for you, actually. She finished it when she and Da were in St. Mungo's. A healer sent to me after they had made sure it was clean." He picked up a corner and rubbed his fingers over it. "She had started working on it years ago, but I like knowing that she finished it with you in mind."

Lily touched his cheek, feeling tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Wait here…" She pressed the quilt into his hands, and ran to her room. After rummaging briefly through her trunk, she found the long tie box.

Bringing it back to James, she watched as he opened it. The deep breath he took made Lily believe that he knew the various ties were her father's. The gentle kiss he gave her proved that fact and the fact that he truly appreciated them.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Oh, I love you," she returned, snuggling closer, willing to remain in his embrace.

Their chocolate boxes lay forgotten on the back of the couch.

**Author's Note: **This chapter has been rewritten quite a bit, cutting it down from fourteen pages to ten. Still a long chapter, but a bit more focused, I think. Also, this was originally chapter 41. I split the original chapter 40 into two parts, and that forced this chapter to be renumbered, and chapters 42 and 43 to be combined into chapter 43. Also, in 1978, when the story is set, Valentine's Day fell on a Wednesday. So, there is just a festival celebrating Valentine's Day in Hogsmeade. And yes, Patricia and Charles were inspired by the movie _Chocolat._


	43. Even More Detentions

**Chapter Forty-Three – Even More Detentions**

The rest of February and early March continued on without many mishaps.

The seventh years continued to do homework and study together in either common room. James and Sirius got help on their essays, but not because Lily outright gave it to them. They found that when she explained things to one of the other girls, they could easily listen along and take notes. Lily must've known, but she didn't complain. (In truth, she enjoyed the feeling of teaching her peers just as much as she enjoyed seeing James and Sirius actually taking notes.)

Laila Albright stayed away from James, due both to the fact that he always sat right next to Lily, and that she was rather consumed with her own young man. From what the sevenths years had seen, he was the perfect guy for her; heartbreakingly handsome, slightly arrogant, and quite willing to be the center of Laila's attention. Lily did notice that despite his arrogance, he made Laila smile and laugh, and spent as much time talking to her in a quiet corner of the common room as he did kissing her. Lily figured herself to be an expert on that type of relationship, which is why she was happy to sit it forming. She hoped (and honestly believed) that whatever hurt Lauryn had seen in Laila was being healed. (Lauryn was quite ecstatic with her new boyfriend; Lily hadn't seen without a grin on her face yet.)

Classes got much more difficult for the seventh years, as teachers were beginning to emphasize the importance of their NEWT exams. (Sirius glared at every person who even mentioned "life beyond Hogwarts".)

For all that the workload became a bit heavier, the days passed happily. That is, if you pass over the fact that each member of the Marauders and Co. received at least one detention. (Frank and Alice were alone in their lack of detentions. They gloated just a bit.)

Sirius and Nikeia were the first to receive detention. They were caught in Sirius's favorite window seat in the far corner of the library. They claimed to have been studying for their Transfiguration test the nest day. The open books and sloppily written notes made that a valid argument.

The snogging invalidated it.

If they had been caught by old Mistress Spellman, the Runes teacher who liked to walk through the library in an attempt to find hidden messages in the old books by moonlight, rather than Professor McGonagall, they might have gotten away with only one night of detention. Mistress Spellman was going blind; she had actually passed over them completely, thinking they were two very affectionate ghosts prone to wishful thinking. Nikeia and Sirius had then figured she would be the only teacher walking through the library that night. They were wrong, of course.

McGonagall had actually only given them two detentions each. However, as soon as Sirius deemed it the right moment to open his mouth and comment on McGonagall's dressing gown and ask what _she_ was doing at night in the library, they received a total of four detentions.

Peter was the next to get a detention. He had apparently been out after curfew one night. When he got to the portrait hole into Gryffindor Tower, the Fat Lady wouldn't let him in. She said that it was due to the fact that the Marauders had gotten by too many times; she was putting her painted slipper down. So, she refused to open. The two Hufflepuff prefects who had patrol duty that night found him outside the door, arguing with the Fat Lady.

One detention was his price. He later told James that if it had been James, Sirius or Remus, the Fat Lady would've swung open—and winked at them—right after they said the password. James didn't deny it, though he did look down at his pumpkin juice sheepishly.

Remus had the honor of being the fourth to receive detention. He had been found by Slughorn (who had apparently needed a book for his own research) in the back of library one night. It was the night after the full moon, so Remus had a reason to be tired. Unfortunately, that reason was not one that he could tell the Potions master. Remus had gone to catch up on some studying and had fallen asleep on top of the history book. He claimed that he couldn't help it; he was already tired and the boring text didn't help him wake up. The others—even Lily—couldn't blame him.

Due to a rash of misbehavior from the rest of the students, Remus didn't serve his detention for almost two weeks. When it was finally scheduled, James and Sirius teased him rather mercilessly, for it had been set for his birthday. It took Lily hexing James's and Sirius's mouths shut for them to stop bothering Remus. Not that they had a choice. When Remus came back from his detention (helping Slughorn organize and restock the potions store), he was blindfolded and dragged through the hallway to the Head's common room, where a nice little party was set up.

Josey and Antoine served two nights of detentions with Professor Spacey, the Divination teacher. She had been making her monthly raids of the kitchen's beverage stores when she came across the couple in a broom closet. She had been disappointed in them and promptly assigned them detentions dusting the vast collection of teacups that had amasses over the years and many teachers, even though she had admitted to her own youthful acts of romance with her old beau. Josey and Antoine couldn't help giggling when they told of Spacey's wistful sigh to the others.

James and Lily received their own detentions, of course. Lily pouted (adorably, in James's opinion) that her record had been ruined by him. And yet, she had not once said "I wish I never met you!" If she started to, James's lips probably would have stopped her before "wish".

Their first detention was received when they argued too loudly… in front of McGonagall's rooms. They had been arguing so passionately over a wand movement that they hadn't noticed where their feet had taken them.

"James, I'm telling you. It requires _three_ vertical movements of the wand!"

James sighed exasperatedly. "Lily. It's five. You speak the words as you move the wand: Each syllable represents a time when you stop the wand and reverse it."

"Which explains why there are _three_ syllables in the incantation; not _five_!" Lily retorted.

(This was merely a snippet of their argument. It had started with some other comment that had long been forgotten. They had been arguing over it for the better part of half an hour. A previous quarter hour had been spent arguing about the odds of that Laila girl's heritage.)

James opened his mouth to say something, but he froze suddenly, counting syllables. Lily smiled triumphantly.

James flapped his hands, and asserted forcefully: "Lily… There are five wand movements. I know it!"

Lily groaned and the sound was nearly drowned out by the sound of a large stone door opening. A gap opened in the stone to James's right and suddenly, there stood McGonagall, her tartan dressing gown wrapped securely around her. Her hair was down on her shoulders and she looked angry, but that might've been an understatement.

"What is the meaning of this?" she whispered harshly.

"Sorry, Professor," muttered Lily sheepishly. "James and I started arguing and we lost track of where we were."

"And how loud you were," reproved McGonagall. "I suggest that you get back to your dormitory. It's past the time you're supposed to be out of the hallways. Detention for both of you. Tomorrow, right after dinner. My office."

The two seventh years sighed and turned around.

"Potter, Evans," McGonagall called after them. "The incantation requires a _precise_ number of vertical wand movements. That number is…"

"Three?"

"Five?"

"Three-" (Lily smiled cockily at James) "-and one half." With that, and what they were sure was a smirk, the professor retreated back into her apartments.

Lily was standing with her mouth open, staring at McGonagall's door. James chuckled.

"Oh, shut up!" Lily said, rather loudly. "I was closer to the correct answer then you were, so you have nothing to laugh about!"

"POTTER! EVANS!" shouted McGonagall from inside. The two Heads jumped and ran down the hall.

Laughing.

Not one day after that, James received another detention. His cauldron exploded in Potions, splattering the people around him with the bright green concoction. At once, all those hit started laughing hysterically. Slughorn got them settled with a quick antidote, then turned to James.

"Potter… get your head together. These potions of yours have been rather lax lately. I don't like it. I would accept—and expect it—from Mr. Black, but not from you!"

Nikeia snorted in laughter. Sirius' mouth dropped open, and he glanced quickly back and forth between Nikeia, James and Slughorn. The latter didn't notice.

However, James and the rest of the class were surprised at how serious Slughorn sounded. James nodded meekly, even though he blamed Lily for the outcome of this potion. She had finished her potion early (of course) and sat next to him, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. It was greatly distracting. He figured she must've known it (and proved it with that little Smirk of hers), but she didn't let on.

It was a few days later, when Lily was writing a Defense paper that she noticed the four Marauders were sitting with their heads together. Lily raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Nikeia noticed the look, and followed Lily's gaze.

"Uh oh… that doesn't look good," she stated simply. Both young women sighed and returned to their Potions essays.

Nikeia was right. It wasn't. That would be proven the next day during a passing period.

Lily was walking next to James, like always, with her hand in his. The majority of their group were all on their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts; all but Josey, who was rather miserable at Defense, and Peter, who was fair, but not good enough to make NEWTs level. At one point, Lily noticed a group of Slytherins turn the corner. She glanced up at James and noticed, with dismay, a smirk on his face.

"James… what are you planning?" she asked angrily. He smiled down at her, and his hand moved toward his hip… where his wand was.

"Good day, Slytherins!" called out Sirius jovially. The Slytherins looked at him and sneered. Lily noticed Sirius's younger brother, Regulus, in the group. "Where are you lot off to?"

"Why should you care, Black?" sneered the leader, Rovin.

"I'm just trying to be nice. Are you always so suspicious of me?" asked Sirius, a hand on his chest as if hurt. Lily heard Nikeia snort softly at the gesture.

"Suspicious? Of you? Now, dear Black, why should we _ever_ be suspicious of you?" asked Rovin sarcastically. Sirius smirked arrogantly.

It all happened so suddenly: James and Sirius whipped out their wands and pointed them at the ceiling. Everyone who had stopped in the hallway to watch the events looked up. Hanging from the ceiling, and starting to tip over, was a large object. From below, in looked like a canoe. To the Slytherins… it was a trouble. A boat load of trouble.

Inside was a whole lot of a bright, neon pink goop that fell mostly onto the Slytherins.

Through Lily's shock-widened eyes, she saw Remus lift his wand and gesture toward the ceiling. Feathers started floating down and covering the Slytherins.

Screams and shouting filled the hall. And laughter; always laughter around the Marauders.

"POTTER! BLACK!" shouted Lily angrily. She pulled out her own wand to help clean off the Slytherins, but then a new voice entered the scene. McGonagall's.

"EVANS! I'm completely shocked!"

"What?" asked Lily surprised. She looked back at the Marauders and she found out what was wrong. They had their wands… in their pockets. And Lily had hers out and pointing at the Slytherins.

_Oh, this doesn't look suspicious at all_, Lily thought, inwardly rolling her eyes and sighing at the Marauders.

"Detention, Evans!" called McGonagall before cleaning the Slytherins off with her wand.

Lily was angry—though not surprised—that no one came to her defense. In fact, as soon as McGonagall turned around, everyone who wasn't involved ran toward their classrooms. The Marauders were biting back their laughter. Lily was incensed that McGonagall had called her out.

"I'll see you tonight, Miss Evans," the professor shouted over her shoulder. "Get to your classrooms. Now!"

The Marauders didn't need telling twice. They quickly turned and ran. Frank glanced at the girls, and then took off after the other boys.

"POTTER!" cried Lily after her boyfriend. He merely laughed and waved a hand over his head.

"Let it go, Lily. They'll get their comeuppance eventually," said Nikeia, putting a hand on Lily's shoulder.

"They're just so… so… AGH!"

Alice laughed. "We know what you mean. McGonagall will get back at them during Transfiguration."

Lily sighed, knowing that McGonagall would. The wise professor was smart enough to know who really pulled the prank.

"But we really should hurry," said Nikeia, pulling at Lily's hand.

The bell rang as they were running. Lucky for them, their Defense teacher was not present when they ran into the classroom; he showed up three seconds later.

Lily quickly took her seat next to James, pretending not to be angry at him. James smiled at her hesitantly, to which she beamed back. James didn't find anything suspicious.

It was half way through the class when James cried out loudly and suddenly.

The Defense teacher, Professor Gog, turned slowly around and glared at James. With a raised eyebrow he asked, "What was that, Mr. Potter?"

"Um, nothing sir. I… uh… kicked the table accidentally," James said, reaching down to rub his leg. Professor Gog raised his eyebrow further and then said gravely, "Five points from Gryffindor. Don't let it happen again."

When his back was turned, James turned fiercely toward Lily and glared at her. She smiled cheekily, her nose wrinkling. Nikeia snickered behind the two.

"You did that on purpose," accused James.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course I did, you idiot!"

Remus snorted back his laugh as James' eyes widened.

Again, Nikeia was quite right about the Marauders; McGonagall took twenty points from Gryffindor before class even started. She said the Marauders looked sloppy.

Lily, Alice and Nikeia stifled their giggles behind their hands. Their boys, in fact, looked quite neat and put together, though James's shirt was a bit untucked and peaking out from under his vest, and Sirius's tie was undone.

McGonagall looked at the three girls, who immediately straightened and dropped their hands. Instead of reprimanding them, her lips twitched.

By the end of the class, each of them had a Detention; there was a stub of a tail on James's footstool (James blamed Lily for just being close to him—he couldn't concentrate) and Sirius's rocking chair had a distinctly furry feeling to it. She took five points off in Peter's name, citing that she knew he'd be sleeping through his Muggle Studies class

Remus was given a detention: "Just because", McGonagall said. She couldn't give detention to three and not four. Remus sighed, but nodded good naturedly. It had happened before. Anyway, he felt he deserved it because he had actually been a part of the prank.

As they were packing up to leave, the three Marauders would swear they heard McGonagall mutter, "Pink slime and feathers. How lovely."

It would be lovely to say that the rest of the detentions were pleasant, simple and served without pain. That, however, would denote that they did not receive that which they deserved.

Sirius and Nikeia spent their detentions helping Madam Pince in the library; organizing books, making sure they were free of students' marks, scraping various unidentified substances from the bottoms of the desks and chairs, and polishing the ancient windows, lantern shades and glass doors of the very restricted books.

Peter only had to help the caretaker Filch polish some of the older frames of the pictures hanging around the school, but doing anything in the presence of Filch made it ten times worse. He was quite ragged when he stumbled into the common room afterwards. Professor Gog made James work on other frames with Filch, due to the fact that he was too lazy to want to bother with detentions. James admitted to Lily when he returned to their common room that he wanted to kick three things at that moment: Filch, Gog, and Mrs. Norris, Filch's mangy cat, and in no particular order.

Remus nursed several burns and sores from the potion ingredients, which Alice tended to with a few well-chosen plants.

Josey and Antoine returned from their detentions with severe cases of the sniffles and sneezes due to the dust, mold, and other unidentified magical dusts, and Lily made them suffer for a few minutes while she pretended to look up the incantation. James noticed and he teased her later for her very Marauderette action. She kissed him in response.

The detention that Remus, James and Sirius served jointly under McGonagall was tedious and tiring, and involved them separating garden worms and bone needles after an extensive study of the method in her second year class. The tendency of the needles to stab the worms made the job rather slimy. There were also a lot of worms. Remus was given the easier task of washing the needles and sticking them in the pincushions since he hadn't actually deserved a detention, only having dropped the feathers.

Lily's detention with Professor McGonagall proved to be quite unexpected, and oddly delightful.

When Lily entered McGonagall's room, she saw the professor sitting at her desk with a mound of parchment in front of her. She gestured to the seat before her, and Lily took it.

"I do hope you understand that I had to give you this detention. Your situation was gravely suspicious; standing in the middle of hallway with your wand drawn. You should know better than that." McGonagall gave her a not unkind look, and pushed a tartan-patterned tin forward.

Lily took a biscuit, surprised at the gesture. "I understand, Professor. If you hadn't, others would use it as an excuse to get away with other stuff."

"I'm glad. I always knew you were a smart one," stated McGonagall with a chuckle.

"Thank you."

"I hear that Potter caused a disruption in Defense Against the Dark Arts today? Is this true?"

Lily giggled, remembering James's pained look.

"It _is_ true then. What happened?"

"He kicked the desk, and shouted out."

McGonagall pinned her with a look. "And was that action provoked?"

Lily's smile spread across her face before she could stifle it. "I pinched him. I had to get back at him somehow. I wasn't expecting Gog, the sour catfish-" Lily stopped suddenly and glanced at McGonagall. She knew it was unwise to insult any teacher in the Transfiguration professor's presence.

"I believe a more appropriate name would be 'sour, _arrogant_ catfish,' Lily. Continue, please."

Lily stared at McGonagall in shock.

"He is _not_ my favorite colleague. I feel no remorse in calling him something that is true. And if anyone asks, you were the one who said it."

"Oh… well, I wasn't expecting him to actually dock points, but it was a bonus, I suppose."

McGonagall smiled slightly.

"By the way, Professor," started Lily. "Thank you. I, um, appreciate your giving the Marauders detentions."

"I couldn't let them go. I know who caused the prank. And I like punishing those who do something wrong."

"I think everyone in the hall knew who had pulled the prank," stated Lily with a sigh.

McGonagall nodded. "Indeed. Though, the Marauders are pranksters, and you can always trust pranksters to pull pranks. But, we do have to watch out for the good students, because we can never know if or when they might pull a prank."

Lily chuckled. "That's very true, Professor."

"Although, I do not distrust you, Lily."

Lily smiled as McGonagall looked down at her desk and sighed. "I must grade these papers. You are free to read any book that you'd like off that shelf."

"But, Professor, this is a detention."

"Miss Evans. I would have hoped that you would have realized that you are not being punished. At least, if you can call sitting with an old lady reading old books in an old, uncomfortable chair not being punished."

"Oh, Professor. You're not old, and I'm sure there'll be some good book for me to read, and a quick transfiguring will make this chair comfortable." Lily smiled, and was pleased when McGonagall smiled back again.

Lily make a quick order of transfiguring the chair into a stuffed chair of dark brown velvet, and then started to go through the books. Coming across a brown, well-worn leather-bound book with gold writing on the binding, Lily gasped.

It was a Muggle book that Lily had fallen in love with a few years back when she had raided her mother's bookshelf for something to read during the summer. When she asked the Professor how it came to be on her shelf, McGonagall responded with the very logical statement that Muggles produced better works of romantic fiction than wizards.

Lily took her seat again and opened the book. She figured there was no harm in taking the "detention" to read a good book, especially this one that was so romantic, clever, and funny. Lily quite easily put herself and James in the roles of the two main characters.

"Miss Evans," sighed McGonagall, breaking Lily's happy thoughts. "While I know that the book is very good and delightfully romantic, I must ask you to control your sighing. That must've been the tenth one in the past hour. Please. Constrain yourself."

Lily blushed. Had she really spent an hour daydreaming? She looked down at the book and saw that she hadn't read very much. "I was just, um…" she began.

"Just putting yourself in the heroine's shoes? With a hazel-eyed and black haired man beside her?"

Lily's blush became even redder. McGonagall nodded, then folded her arms atop her papers, and sighed.

"I remember reading that book, doing the same thing."

Lily was surprised at the topic of conversation that seemed to be so unlike the elderly professor.

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. My hero was the strong, silent type. Always the strong, silent type."

Lily knew it could get her in trouble, but she couldn't resist. "Meaning he was a more physical man?"

"Yes, indeed." McGonagall froze, having spoken without much thought. "Why, Miss Evans!" she cried, straightening.

Lily bit her lip and looked down at the tin of biscuits. When she heard McGonagall chuckle once, she looked up. McGonagall's expression was amused, but trying not to be.

"Did he ever come true for you, Professor?" asked Lily tentatively, figuring that if one impertinent question was accepted, perhaps a second would be also.

When McGonagall remained silent, just playing with her quill, Lily had a feeling that she had just overstepped her boundary. When she was opening her mouth to apologize, McGonagall spoke.

"Yes. I did. Once. He was quite… quite wonderful." She sighed, and suddenly became more herself. "And then he fell perfectly into the mold of all men and… proved that he couldn't be trusted with a heart."

"Oh, Professor," Lily whispered, a bit of her heart breaking for her obviously once heart-broken professor.

McGonagall flapped a hand. "But I've learned; I've moved on. He's just a memory. In fact, I saw the announcement in the Prophet of his marriage. He's quite happy now."

"All men can't be like that," murmured Lily, playing with some loose binding on the leather book.

"And there are many exceptions, Potter being one of them," said McGonagall, kindly.

"I still think of how much I wanted to strangle him in previous years and how much I love to be held by him, and I'm amazed."

McGonagall nodded. "I'm amazed at how much I've wanted to strangle him also."

Lily laughed, rather surprised.

"Before I can spout any more bits of nonsense, I believe I should call it a night, Miss Evans." The dismissal was not unkind.

"I don't think its nonsense," said Lily as she rose. McGonagall smiled kindly at her again, and nodded.

At the door of the professor's office, Lily gasped and turned around. "Oh! Your book!"

"Keep it. It's easily replaced."

Lily thanked the professor again, holding the book to her chest.

She left the office, smiling at their conversation. If someone asked her who her favorite teacher was, at that moment, and perhaps the rest of her life, Lily would have said Professor Minerva McGonagall. Perhaps once she was out of Hogwarts, she could get to know the Professor a bit more. She never would have imagined that a woman like McGonagall would have had a lover, but then she admonished herself. Everyone has one at some point in their life.

She sighed, and then started walking a bit faster down the hallway. She reached through the collar of her blouse and touched James's necklace. Some people just got lucky and found their 'someone special' early in life, she supposed. Lily was happy that she had found hers. She smiled, and started skipping, knowing that simple walking couldn't express her utter jubilation.

**Author's Note:** Perhaps these detentions weren't quite earned, but it is in the title of my story so, alas; earwax!

McG's line about watching out for pranksters was inspired by "Pirates of the Caribbean", and "simple walking couldn't express her utter jubilation" is thanks to an original reviewer, **POTCgirl1337**. And, the Slytherin Rovin and being slimed belonged to a story a friend of mine and I were writing, but never finished.


	44. America, Anyone?

**Chapter Forty-Four – America, Anyone?**

Josey ran into the Head's common room (after being allowed through by the Darling Portrait), a broad smile covering her face even as she shouted happily. Antoine was pulled along behind her. All the people in the room looked up.

"You'll never guess what's happened!" Josey cried, waving a letter in her other hand.

"You found something out that made you really happy…" supplied Nikeia from her position in Sirius's arms.

Josey playfully glared at her friend, but continued without missing a beat. "Yes! My aunt has invited us all to Montana!"

"Montana?" asked four voices.

"It's a state in America," offered Josey, Lily and Remus at the same time.

"Yeah, she's got a ranch and she's invited us all spend the week with her!" Josey jumped around happily, being careful for the essays and James's Quidditch plans that littered the floor. Antoine watched her move around, an eyebrow raised above a bemused smile.

"You have a Muggle aunt in America?" asked Remus, curiously.

Josey stopped jumping around and nodded, not quite as exuberant as she was at first. "Yeah. My dad was a Muggle lawyer who came to Britain, and met my mum. He didn't find out she was a witch until I caused the parlor curtains to catch fire when I threw a tantrum when I was six."

"That's a long time to keep such a secret. What happened?" Peter asked.

Nikeia, Lily and James looked at each other, knowing the answer was not a very nice one.

"My dad left us. Packed his bags and within two hours, was gone. My mum was pregnant with my little brother at the time. My aunt, my dad's sister, was the first one to call when she heard something was wrong. She… she really cared about us, and she helped my mum through all of it," Josey informed them all, her expression asking them to think it didn't matter anymore. The room was silent, and then Josey spoke again, her excitement back. "So. America. Montana. Ranch. Easter break."

"Good for you," drawled Sirius.

Josey looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You should be happy, too. You're all coming with me. Didn't I say that?"

By late the next Wednesday morning, seven of the eight students who had been in the common room were sitting in a compartment on the Hogwarts express. Normally, seven people would not fit in the compartment together, but as both Lily and Nikeia were sitting in the laps of James and Sirius, they were all quite comfortable.

Lily had already quizzed Josey on the traveling plans, and had already been told to relax, that everything had been arranged and was being taken care of. Lily had blushed and nodded, at which time James pulled her into his embrace.

When Sirius brought up the fact that Stacey Wilson had been from Chicago, Lily and James nodded silently, having forgiven—but not forgotten—what she had done.

Antoine arrived at their compartment not long after that. He had taken it upon himself to deliver copies of the Quidditch strategies James wanted studied over break to the other Gryffindor players. Before he had even stepped into the compartment, Josey had stood and met him at the door. She rushed him away from the compartment without a backward glance.

"Well…" Nikeia said, watching the door close and the couple walk briskly out of view. "Someone's in a hurry for a snog."

"Those two," muttered Lily, shaking her head.

James squeezed her slightly, then looked around their compartment and the people in it: Remus reading, Peter going through a box of Bertie Botts, Sirius was rummaging through his satchel (which he had plopped into Nikeia's lap) and Nikeia was watching him.

"Don't let on that I told you," began James, "but here's a secret."

"If it's a secret, perhaps you shouldn't tell us," murmured Remus.

James ignored him and said, "Antoine's actually talked to me about Josey, and said he's planning on marrying her."

A slightly shocked silence entered the compartment.

Lily and Nikeia stared at each other, their eyes wide. Lily let out an amused exhale, and fell back against James.

"Marriage?" muttered Nikeia. "It seems like we're not even old enough to be thinking about such a thing."

"Well, with Voldemort getting stronger, more people have gotten married young in the past couple years," stated Lily. They had mentioned something like it in the past, but never with such finality as this announcement of Antoine's intentions.

Remus began to smirk. "I'd be surprised if a second proposal from a pair of our close friends didn't occur soon after we left school." He shot Lily and James a pointed look, under which they both began to blush.

Remus's eyes widened, and he sat forward. "I don't know why _you're_ blushing; I wasn't talking about you two. I was talking about Frank and Alice."

Nikeia laughed as James and Lily smiled awkwardly. "Then _I'll_ talk about James and Lily: If I don't hear of _three_ proposals before a year is up, I'll be very surprised."

James grabbed Peter's box of beans and began pelting Remus and Nikeia with the candy.

After saying goodbye to Frank and Alice, who would be spending the break with their families, and after meeting Josey's mother (a petite woman who had shared her looks with her only daughter) and brother (a small, ten-year-old boy who talked as fast as Josey and was not at all shy) on the platform in London, the seventh years began to get very excited about their Easter break.

For one Marauder, that afternoon was a less-than-glamorous beginning to his Easter break. For the other three, it was hysterical.

James had been talked into a game of football and Josey's brother, Timothy, was literally running circles around the older boy. James actually seemed to be rather uncoordinated on his feet.

Lily was endeavoring to not laugh too much at her boyfriend, though she would be the first to admit it was quite difficult. Nikeia was having no such trouble, though her attempts to get Sirius into the game to help his mate out were proving to be a waste of her breath.

After a few more minutes of laughter—James actually managed to dribble the ball for a few feet before Timothy stole it again—Josey came out of the house, her face blank. She had been talking with her mother.

On the King's Cross platform, Mrs. Bretten had smiled at Antoine and seemed to really like him, and Timothy had taken an instant liking to Antoine, but she had left little room for debate when she said that she'd like to talk to Josey once they reached their home.

Lily and Nikeia could sense the frustration that lay bubbling under the surface of Josey's visage. They left James to struggle and walked over to Josey.

"Hey, Jo," murmured Nikeia. "You all right?"

"Yeah, I'm good," she said, looking over her friends' shoulders at the football game. She chuckled. "It looks like Timmy's whipping James pretty good, eh?"

Lily and Nikeia looked to each other, and then back at Josey. They nodded simultaneously, and started laughing.

"I guess I should go and help him out then, eh?" she said, a Marauderette Smirk on her face.

She slipped between her friends (who shared unsatisfied glances) and out onto the grass. Quickly, she stole the ball from James's feet—effectively tripping him onto his back—and started dribbling it down the yard. Timmy cheered, and then stopped suddenly as Josey kicked for a goal. Timmy just missed the save. With a thump, he fell to the ground, and started laughing.

"Nice work, Jo!" laughed Lily, kneeling down beside her boyfriend. "But I thought you said you were going to help James."

"And I did," laughed Josey, reaching down to help her little brother up. "I saved him from further embarrassment."

The others laughed as James glared at his girlfriend's best friend. "Thanks, Josey, I _really_ appreciate it." There was no doubt about the sarcasm in his voice.

"You're welcome. It's nice to know that you do," she said as she curtseyed in a teasing manner.

Antoine laughed and came over to hug her. "How was that talk with your mom?" he asked softly, holding her close.

The others watched Timmy bounce the ball from one knee to the other, acting as if they couldn't hear.

"It was fine. We didn't yell at each other, but I did get rather frustrated."

"At least you know she cares about you."

"Yeah," she murmured. "She married so young, and was abandoned so soon, that she just worries about me. Doesn't want me to make the same mistake."

Those on the grass shared meaningful glances at the word "married".

"Well, I won't leave you," Antoine murmured before kissing Josey.

A football to the back of Josey's knees ended the kiss, and with a shriek of frustration she ran at her little brother and tackled him to the ground. He laughed uproariously as he was tickled without mercy.

"Oi, Josey, move over!" shouted James, before pushing Josey away from her little brother and tickling young boy himself.

Antoine helped Josey to her feet, and watched as Sirius got involved in the wrestling-slash-tickling match.

Nikeia and Lily looked on with laughter. Remus looked to Peter with a look that said, "What did I do to deserve this?" Peter laughed and shrugged.

The next afternoon, found the Hogwarts students, Mrs. Bretten and Timmy at the Muggle airport. Mrs. Bretten—who asked to be called simply "Mary"—and Timmy would be accompanying them. When the sevenths years had found that they would be traveling with Josey, they quickly wrote into the Ministry and applied for wizard passports. They were magically created but accepted without question by the Muggle authorities. There were also symbols that could be brought out with an incantation that showed that they were wizards. To their joy, the Ministry was very prompt in issuing the passports, which Mary had picked up the day before.

Mary led them swiftly through the various processes and then onto the plane as if she was a Muggle. Lily assumed that hiding one's true identity from a Muggle husband had proved difficult on the woman, and had forced a near complete adaptation.

The full-blooded wizards of their group, namely Sirius and James, found the entire experience thrilling and exciting. Lily had a sneaky suspicion that if she, Nikeia and Josey were not there to keep them in check, they would be running up and down the aisles of the plane, laughing hysterically. As it was, they took the aisle seats to keep their young men contained. Remus was calm and collected, like always, and started up an easy conversation with Timothy. Nikeia and Peter both seemed to find the prospect of flying higher than a couple hundred feet on a broomstick rather frightening. Lily discreetly performed the Anti-Motion Sickness Charm she had found in an old book just for this occasion. They visibly relaxed almost immediately.

Moments later, the plane took off.

From the airport in Chicago, a wizarding taxi service shuttled them into the downtown area. The young wizards found great delight in viewing the many and varied Muggle fashions on display as their wearers walked down the streets.

They arrived at the Headquarters, which had been disguised as a boarded-up store front for rent. Not long after that, they found themselves in the Long Distance Floo Department, being briefed (in a rather amusing Chicagoan accent) on the perils and requirements for such a journey. Eventually, they were deemed ready to go, and one by one, they passed through the fireplace.

Stepping through the fireplace after a very long and quite dizzying ride through more fireplaces than they had ever seen into a large, wood-paneled room, each wizard was greeted by a pair of people they all liked on sight. The woman was older than Mary, but the laugh lines around her eyes and mouth and the grey in her hair did nothing to hinder the laughter in her eyes. She hugged each person as they came through. A tall, very sturdy looking man helped move the luggage away from the fire, bestowing lopsided smiles on each person.

When Mary stepped from the fireplace, she was instantly scooped into and held for a few minutes in the warm embrace of the older woman. Mary's eyes began to tear up, and the seventh years realized that while this older woman was not of blood-relation, she was as close as a sister to Mary.

Once she was released, Mary introduced the seventh years to Chelsea and Nicholas Prescott.

"Please, call me Nick," said Nichol—uh, Nick. "We're incredibly pleased to have you here."

"Oh, you sound so stuffy," Chelsea complained, hitting her husband's shoulder. "Though, we are very happy to have you here." She bestowed another bright smile on all them, before pointing to each one and requesting their names. She chuckled at Sirius and Remus, mumbling something about names of American wizards being a bit simpler and not quite so historical.

"You should meet the rest of my family," Sirius returned. Chelsea smiled broadly at first, but noticed the tight expression on his face, and her smile faded slightly.

"The nuts on your family tree, right?" Chelsea said. Sirius's face broke into a lopsided grin as he nodded.

"Yeah, something like that."

"Well, my dear brother-" Chelsea's gritted teeth attested to her sarcasm- "Mary's ex-husband isn't the nuttiest in my family. You should hear about Great-great Uncle Sam. So delusional that he challenged a gunslinger to a fight because the other guy just asked him what time it was." Chelsea shook her head. "Anyway. I would assume you're all a bit tired. Probably didn't sleep on the plane, did you?"

They shook their heads, since the two hour naps they took on the planes didn't really count as sleep.

"Then, we'll bring you upstairs and get you settled in."

With that, she began to lead them towards the door on the right, when facing the fire. However, she stopped suddenly, realizing they had luggage. She dithered for a moment, wondering how she and her husband would carry it all, when the seventh years pulled out their wands and levitated their luggage with wry smiles. Chelsea just looked on with wide eyes, then said, "Well, there is something to say for wizardry when you can do fancy little tricks like that."

She continued on her way through the room, calling this room the den. Chairs and a sofa were situated around the fireplace, and the walls were hung with photographs and paintings. Through the doorway was a very large room, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, plenty of seating, another fireplace and a grand piano in a corner. The dark wood walls, combined with thick throw rugs and dim lamps added to the cozy feeling of the room. Long windows were uncovered, and the wide expanse of land outside them amazed the newcomers. They wanted to linger at the windows, but Chelsea began ushering them up a wide, wrought-iron circular staircase. Only when she said that the view was better from the upper floor did they finally move.

From this level, looking out more long windows , they could see the house was shaped in a "U", with the library downstairs taking up the whole left wing. The hallway they were in now appeared to wrap around the whole inside of the U, with rooms opposite the windows. Above the library were the master bedroom and a study, and the guest rooms where Mary and Timmy would be staying were above the den. The two rooms where the seventh years would be staying took up the upper left wing and had been made with hosting a large group in mind, apparently. Two bunkbeds stood in each room, and two large bathrooms would accommodate them nicely. Nick supplied that the kitchen and dining room stood below these rooms, and that a late lunch would be served in an hour.

With that, Chelsea and Nick left them to get settled. Mary and Timmy took off for their own rooms, Timmy stumbling with sleep.

"Oh, Josey this is wonderful!" cried Lily, hugging her friend. A round of "thank-yous" followed Lily's exclamation. Josey smiled at them all, expecting the thanks with a very content smile.

"I'm glad you're all with me. This should be a lot of fun," she said, wrapping her arms around Lily's and Nikeia's waists. She looked at the boys. "It'll be especially fun to find out who has to sleep on the floor."

The five boys froze, then slowly looked at each other.

"What?" asked James, his voice shaking slightly.

"Didn't you see? There are only two bunkbeds. There are five of you. Someone's sleeping on the floor, though I guess we can find a cot."

Before she had finished speaking, the boys threw themselves at the door. The girls laughed, and slowly walked into their room.

Accented with a deep red and a dusky pink, the wood walls and floor looked just as homey as the library downstairs, despite their natural light pine color. A long pine dresser stood against one wall, with a long mirror above it.

The girls chose their beds, with only Josey taking a top bunk. Lily stepped into their adjoining bathroom as Josey and Nikeia began unpacking, happy to find two shower stalls and two enclosed toilets.

A sudden loud thud came through the wall, and she jumped.

"I, uh, think we should go see what the boys are doing to each other," Lily said, hastening through the bedroom, using the doorframe to pivot herself around the corner and into the hall,

She and the other two girls came to a halt in front of the boys' door, and sighed.

Antoine and Sirius were wrestling, apparently for the last upper bunk. Remus was unpacking, and Peter was sitting quietly on his bed, though the bedspread was being wrung quite fiercely in his pudgy fingers. Apparently, Remus and Peter had thrown their things onto the bed before anyone could challenge it.

James was sitting on the bunk above Remus, and his cut lip made it obvious that he had won his spot.

The wrestling match didn't last much longer, and Antoine came away the victor. He limped slightly toward the bed, following his duffle up the ladder. He fell to the mattress, moved briefly, and then went still.

"Did he just fall asleep?" whispered Josey.

"I think he did…" responded Nikeia, chuckling.

Sirius moved over to them, his hands on his hips.

"Just thought of something, lassies."

The "lassies" raised their eyebrows at him.

"You've got an extra bed in your room since there's only three of you; I could just sleep there."

The three girls laughed loudly. When they didn't stop after a few moments, Sirius narrowed his eyes at them and pouted.

"I guess that's a 'no', then?"

James didn't offer him any consolation, just a wry grin.

An hour later they were seated in the dining room, finished with plaster walls painted light blue and whitewashed floorboards, awaiting their late lunch.

Lily was talking eagerly about the vast library, an enthusiasm that only Remus and Peter reciprocated, and James and Antoine were excited to mount their brooms and fly. Sirius was half-asleep on his hand, with Nikeia leaning against his shoulder. Josey was watching Antoine talk.

Delicious smells were wafting through the doorway from the kitchen, which they had found to be all stainless steel, wrought iron, white ceramic, and cream-colored linoleum.

A voice declared, "Here it comes," and a wide tray entered the room, carried by someone they hadn't seen yet.

The three girls stared at the young man who brought their breakfast. Tall, tanned and well-built, they had every reason to.

Nick was right behind him, carrying a second tray, and he began to apologize. "I should've mentioned him earlier. He was out in the barn when you arrived, tending the horses. This is our son, Cole."

Nick and Cole set the trays down on the sidebar, and Nick said in his deep, decidedly American drawl, "Grab a plate and grab some grub."

Nick introduced the students to Cole as they walked forward. Josey, however, threw herself happily into her cousin's arms, greeting him exuberantly.

James noticed that the tall, handsome man's eyes lingered on Lily just a bit longer than necessary. He wrapped his unused hand around Lily's waist, bringing her just a bit closer, and glared at Cole.

Cole's eyes flicked up to James, and his lips twitched.

"Oh, we forgot the juice," Nick said, and exited the room again. Cole followed him, glancing over his shoulder once.

When they were gone, Lily elbowed James. "What was that about?"

"I saw the way he was looking at you; I just made sure he knew you're mine," James explained.

Lily rolled her eyes (not that she was exactly displeased). "You could've just mentioned it to him; you didn't have to try to stare him down. You should work on your first impressions."

James scoffed. "At least I didn't do this." He bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

"Yeah, that woulda been a pretty bad first impression," drawled Cole, coming back into the room.

James pulled back from Lily, who bit her lip as she blushed.

"Are they always like that, Jo?" Cole asked.

Josey sighed as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.

Cole let out a great laugh, full of richness and mirth. Timmy, coming through the door right then, demanded to be told why he was laughing. Cole just ruffled his hair and continued to laugh.

Lunch continued without any more embarrassment on James and Lily's parts, but Josey did get teased when Cole found out just who Antoine was. His nickname of "Witchy Woman" for Josey earned a good long laugh form her friends. It earned Cole a slap on the shoulder from his cousin. Josey explained how Cole had found out about her being a witch, a realization that came a few years after his mother and father found out; something to do with her overreacting one night during a vacation and starting the library on fire.

The Hogwarts students found Cole to be an eager listener, as well as amusing and wry. He also ate a great deal, refilling his plate a few times.

When the mean was over, Cole pushed his chair back, saying, "If you're up for it, I can take you all for a ride."

The girls immediately rose from their seats and rushed to bring their place settings into the kitchen, then ran out of the dining room to their room. The Marauders and Antoine sighed, but stood at a slower place. Mary pulled Timmy back into his seat, saying that he would be able to go riding later. Timmy pouted, of course, but remained in his seat.

"Change into warmer clothes and meet me outside," called Cole as the students left the dining room.

Fifteen minutes later, the girls and Cole were waiting for the less enthusiastic boys. When they finally arrived, Cole led them into the stable and paired them up with a horse. He and another hand, named Jake, showed them how to put on the various pieces of tack.

When they were mounted and given basic instructions, Cole led them out of the paddock atop his own large black horse.

Eventually, once Cole felt they were doing well enough, he let them walk off on their own. They assured him they could use magic to direct them back to the camp. He nodded, but they heard him mumble something about a "good old compass and orienteering" and "silly old magic". Peter and Remus remained with him to discuss orienteering, magic, and the other differences in their lives.

James, who proved to be more coordinated on a horse than playing football, turned his bay horse towards Lily's dainty-looking palomino, which was immediately given her head and took off across the field at a canter. James laughed and urged his horse to follow, which it seemed to do gladly.

Nikeia and Sirius, both of whom seemed a bit unsteady on a pair of grey mounts, chose to trot toward a wide swath of forest, while Josey and Antoine took off in the opposite direction and practiced riding-and-kissing, their singular distinction of being perfect at walking-and-kissing not quite good enough.

When they returned to the ranch a few hours later (some by using directional charms), they helped cool down the horses and replace the tack, which Jake said he would take care of.

James, Sirius, and Peter began complaining about saddle sores, as Cole called them, but Sirius and Peter didn't object to playing a quick game of football with Cole and Timmy, though Cole called it soccer. He also said that if "you wizards were taught the actual game of football, you'd be really sore". The boys shared worried glances and kindly deferred. James and Antoine retrieved their broomsticks and a stowaway Quaffle. The girls changed clothes, and then sought to aide in the kitchen. Remus grabbed a book and sat quietly on a bench in the front garden, though he spent more time laughing at his friends than reading.

After dinner, the Britons retired to their bedrooms and were asleep within the half hour, from and excess of fresh air, riding, football, good food and jetlag.

**Author's Note: **Looking back at this, I think I can say that I'm not a huge fan of them going to America, but I think the reworking the chapter makes it work. So, I'm content with it. **I love Prongs**__is Josey's Aunt Chelsea. Thanks!


	45. Montana

**Chapter Forty-Five – Montana**

The rest of the break in Montana was spent in much the same way as that first day. The jetlag wore off quickly, after which everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Whether it was through horseback riding, playing football, or listening to Sirius and Nikeia act out scenes from books in the library—usually sappy romantic scenes—they all were able to relax.

Even Timmy had been found asleep in the hammock on the porch, which was surprising as he had previously stormed off because "everyone was being boring" and "doing nothing".

Lily, who had been so stressed about not being able to study over the break, didn't even mention N.E.W.T.s once. James was very proud of her, though he didn't say anything, for fear that as soon as she did, she would start thinking about it. The idea that she would want to study even more when they got back to Hogwarts in order to make up for lost time never occurred to him.

They became quickly acquainted with the workings of the ranch and the vastness of the property. On one memorable morning, Cole woke the eight students up very early and demanded they be dressed in twenty minutes.

When nineteen minutes passed, and no one had showed, he returned to the boys' room, turned on the lights, opened the curtains and pulled the blankets off all of them. He gave them an extra ten minutes, and an ominous "or else".

For the girls he didn't have to do much else besides pound on the door. Apparently they had heard the groans from the boys, and realized that Cole meant business.

That day was spent in helping around the ranch; cleaning stalls, mending fences, repainting the smokehouse, tending the gardens, chasing chickens and washing the horses. Those not accustomed to the labor groused and complained, and those who were getting a break from work (Cole, Nick and Chelsea) smiled and watched on. Jake had been allowed to take the day and go into town, for which he was very grateful.

And yet, for all their whining, the students from across the pond found that they were enjoying their time greatly. The fresh air was a relief after sitting inside a stone building for hours on end, and not having to think about potions, charms, or defensive spells was a welcome change. By the end of the day, they had had all three meals outdoors and been worn out almost completely. When Cole mentioned he was planning on repainting the entire barn the next day, shouts erupted. He laughed and assured them they'd not have to work the next day, at which point Lily and Remus shared a glance, then raced back into the house. Minutes later, they reappeared with their wands in hand, and ran to the barn. Together, they raised their wands and performed a spell. Before everyone's eyes, the barn's old paint was stripped and Vanished. New paint applied itself smoothly and without mistake to the siding, window frames and shutters, and the eaves of the roof.

The three Prescotts walked forward slowly, their eyes wide, never having experienced quite so much magic.

When Lily and Remus were done, and the barn was newly painted a dark red, they turned around, smiles on their faces.

James muttered something about "showing off", but the sounds of appreciation from Cole and his parents were all Lily and Remus had ears for.

"Well, I guess I won't have anything to do tomorrow," muttered Cole, clapping Remus on the shoulder.

That night, the eight students found refuge in the library after taking long, hot showers to help ease the aches and remove the dust, dirt and other sundry substances from their bodies.

As they all sank into the soft plush couches, Nikeia alone remained standing. She walked over to the grand piano, and lightly ran her fingers across the ivory keys.

"Do you play?" asked Sirius.

Nikeia smiled over her shoulder, and sat down at the narrow bench. A moment later, she began to caress the keys, proving that she could in fact play, and play well.

Her impromptu recital attracted the other members of the household. Mary and Chelsea even joined Nikeia in a three-part piece that was joyful and brisk. Nick encouraged Nikeia to play a few waltz pieces, and he led Chelsea through the steps. James and Antoine, remembering the steps from the masquerade ball, led their own girls around the couches and sofas.

Eventually, an end was called and Nikeia was thanked profusely. She returned to Sirius's side as the adults (and Timmy) left the library.

After praising Nikeia a bit more, Sirius asked her how she had learned. She claimed her mother, while a pure-blood wizard, had been required to play by own very proper mother.

"They seemed to think that such skills like embroidery and piano playing reflected a sense of accomplishment and refinement," Nikeia said, her chin lifted as if she was a posh lady from the best societal circle.

"Then I absolutely agree," Sirius flirted, kissing the side of her jaw. She reacted by lowering her chin and giggling.

"What does your mother do now, Nik?" asked James. "I don't think I've ever known that."

"She makes sure all the silver is counted properly and the linens are neatly pressed."

James's expression denoted his absolute bafflement. Nikeia exhaled in laughter and explained, "She stays at home. The ancient family manor in Scotland is a point of high pride for her. It's been owned by generations and generations of powerful wizards and witches. It's her greatest honor to be allowed to tend it."

Something in her voice caused Remus to lower his book and tilt his head. "You don't sound as proud as you make your mother sound."

Nikeia sighed. "It'll be my duty to take over. I'm an only child, and the oldest of the cousins, so it's my inheritance."

"What would you do if you didn't have to do that?"

"Oh, I'll be able to have a career for quite a few years before I get the manor. As for what that career will be, I'm not so sure. I've thought about teaching primary school."

"Good; those little gnomes won't be able to truly appreciate your beauty and try to steal you from me," drawled Sirius, pushing his hand into her long black hair and tipping her head up to him.

She rolled her eyes at him, but her girlfriends could tell she was immensely pleased at his affection.

"You won't have anything to worry about," said Lily. "As soon as anyone finds out you're with Sirius, they'll think you're completely batty and run away before they can get too close."

Everyone else snorted and laughed, but Nikeia and Sirius each grabbed a throw pillow from their couch and whipped them at Lily. James, in proper boyfriend fashion and as a Quidditch chaser, deflected each pillow.

"Remember with whom _you're_ in love, Lily, before you start teasing me," urged Nikeia.

Lily winked at her, smiling broadly. James threw one of the pillows back at Nikeia.

"You're both in love with idiots; get over it," drawled Remus, not lifting his gaze from the novel he had taken from one of the bookshelves. He dodged the pillows that James and Sirius threw.

"I can't imagine how you've managed to deal with them for seven years, Peter," said Antoine, looking over at the shorter young man, sitting on the floor.

Peter shrugged comically. "I've dealt with their playing around; you've dealt with James's ego on the Quidditch pitch. I don't know how _you_ managed it."

Antoine laughed, "Touché!"

"Speaking of Quidditch," said James, pushing himself from the couch. "How 'bout a game of it?"

"Now? It's almost dark out!" cried Josey, clinging to Antoine as if she didn't want him to get up, which she didn't.

"That makes it all the more fun!" returned Antoine eagerly. He lightly kissed Josephine's forehead, then removed her from his lap. He and James ran upstairs to retrieve their broomsticks.

However, when the came back downstairs, their faces had dropped.

"Except, with only two players it's not much fun," whined James, plopping back down on the couch, his broomstick across his lap.

"It's amazing how long it takes you to think sometimes, James," said Lily, her eyebrow raised. He turned his head to glare at her.

"We could just toss the Quaffle back and forth, without brooms," said Josey, glad to have Antoine beside her again.

Suddenly, Nikeia threw herself forward. "Or, what if we tried to play on horseback?" She drew the final word out, an eager look in her eyes.

James, Antoine and Sirius all stood, their own eyes wide. They began devising just how the game would be played. They went on for a few minutes before Lily's voice cut through their excitement.

"Except… Except that it's dark out, and we'd need Cole's permission to take the horses out."

The three boys appeared to deflate.

"Why don't we wait until tomorrow, and we'll ask Cole then," Lily said, her tone placating. "He might even be able to give us ideas."

The exuberance of the young men was back in full force, and they continued to make up rules, which sounded a great deal like normal Quidditch rules.

Josey turned to Lily and asked, "What have you done?"

Lily just Smirked.

The next morning, the five boys (Peter and Remus having been caught up in the excitement) ran out to the barn and asked Cole about riding the horses while playing Quidditch.

When he asked them if they meant they wanted to play polo, they gave him confused glances. He started to explain, but quickly decided against it. He listened to their explanations a bit longer, and they helped saddle the horses. He agreed to be a sixth player, and their game was started. When Timmy made an appearance later, Cole pulled him up to sit before him on the large horse and act as an extra pair of hands.

The girls politely declined an invitation to play the game and, with help from Jake—who had luckily heard nothing about Quaffles, Quidditch or flying and was still blissfully ignorant of magical folk—saddled their own horses and took off for another ride through the fields. One can only assume they discussed the idiosyncrasies of their favorite five young men, as well as the way in which James seemingly forgot that today was his birthday. When they returned to the house, they mentioned it to Chelsea, who promptly ushered them into the kitchen and began preparing dessert. Mary was brought in and the girls spent the afternoon laughing over cake, cookie, and cupcake batters, as well as the various men in their lives.

James was pleasantly surprised after dinner, and made sure to ask forgiveness again for forgetting Lily's birthday. She kissed him gently, having forgiven him quite a while ago.

That night, Antoine was stargazing with Josey, and Sirius was fast asleep.

The other three Marauders had been plotting using the few textbooks Remus brought with him, and a couple spell books they had found (surprisingly) in Chelsea's library, James's deviousness, and Peter's… Peter's… well, Peter's _slight_ input. The birthday boy decided that now would be the perfect time to act out their plot; it was his birthday wish.

Menacingly, Messrs. Moony, Wormtail and Prongs got out of their beds, with their wands raised, their Smirks in place, and walked slowly toward Sirius.

The occupants of the Prescott Ranch awoke to a loud yelling from the second dormitory. They all ran out of their bedrooms to see what was going on.

When they pushed the bedroom door open, it was to see Sirius hopping around—literally, hopping—and shouting. A few seconds passed for the sight to sink in, and then they started laughing.

Sirius's ears had somehow been transformed into long, white rabbit ears, his nose into a small pink button, and there were whiskers coming from his cheeks. As he spun around they noticed a white fluff of a tail.

Judging from the satisfied Smirks and laughter coming from James, Remus and Peter, they knew exactly how this had happened over the night.

Poor Sirius hopped over—it seemed that he couldn't walk properly—to Lily and fell at her feet.

"Lily! Please! Don't leave me like this! I don't want to be a rabbit!" It sounded as if Sirius was holding back tears—but only just. Lily figured he was also being a bit dramatic.

"Sirius, I don't know what I can do. I don't know what spell they used," stated Lily, in a sorry voice. She was winning in her fight not too laugh.

Sirius looked up at her with wide-eyes filled with bewilderment. Nikeia cracked behind Lily and started laughing uproariously.

"Watch it, Nik, or I'll chase you down!" growled Sirius threateningly.

James laughed from his bed. "Oh, look. Remus's badly behaved pet rabbit finally makes an appearance. And, I think that should be 'hop you down,' Sirius."

Sirius turned from Lily and glared daggers at James. Lily couldn't see the expression, but she guessed that it was rather fierce, for all three Marauders moved backwards a bit. How fierce a glare could be when there was a button-nose in the middle…? Lily didn't know. The thought made her giggle.

"Oh, come on Sirius, It's not that bad. And that tail is very cute," giggled Nikeia.

The tail in question wiggled slightly, sending everyone who saw into more fits of laughter. Chelsea and her husband Nick shook their heads at this strange behavior and left the doorframe. They were heard chuckling as they walked back to their bedrooms to prepare for the morning.

Cole offered to make pancakes for the group, having done so earlier in the break, but Lily, Nikeia and Josey strongly disagreed. They conjured up a meal that was almost better than the house elves' breakfast back home at Hogwarts—not that the three women would admit it.

Then, Cole took them on a last horseback ride, which was very difficult for Poor Bunny Sirius, given his cute cotton puff that served as a tail. James, Remus and Peter were adamant in keeping the hex on Sirius—at least until they were getting ready to leave for home. (They did make sure to get a good number of photos using the same charm Josey had used during their Hogsmeade trip.) So, Poor Bunny Sirius was made to keep his guise of a rabbit. It took him a while, but he did finally manage to jump onto the horse—which was a patient one, and not afraid of such a weird looking human. The trio of "backstabbing, traitorous Marauders", as Sirius so flattering referred to them, could not stop laughing. It took James nearly falling off his horse for everyone to laugh at him, rather than at Sirius.

Brunch that last day was an affair of conflicting emotions. They were all sad to be parting, but all very grateful that they had been given the opportunity to cross the ocean and spend time with Josey's family.

The Brits packed slowly, as they were not eager to leave the beautiful home of Nick and Chelsea Prescott and their son Cole.

After exchanging warm goodbyes and promised to write (James reminded Cole again of how Lily was very much his), they stepped into the fireplace in the den and came out back in the Magical Headquarters in Chicago.

At that point, Mary insisted that James, Remus and Peter remove the spell on Sirius; she would not be subjected to staring in the airport because of a childish prank. Lily, Josey and Nikeia smiled in appreciation of her no-nonsense policy.

Sirius threw his arms around Mary impulsively, and was overjoyed to find that when he let her go, he was back to normal: no big ears, not cotton-puff tail, no button nose. Nikeia did appear to be rather sad that the guise was gone; Sirius kissed her to make it better. She didn't object.

Another taxi ride got them to the airport with plenty of time. (Lily had been reminded to not question the traveling plans back in Montana.) Once they were back in London, they returned to Josey's house where they would spend their last night.

Mary drove them to King's Cross Station, bid them a tearful goodbye and watched them board the train. At eleven the train left promptly as always.

Though James should've have expected it eventually, he groaned when Lily mentioned exams. Sam and Monica, who had joined them at the start of the train ride, rolled their eyes at the frantic exclamations of all the seventh years—and the quickness with which Antoine and Josey left the compartment to find less exam-minded friends. Sam and Monica didn't have to worry about big exams for another four years. They didn't hesitate to rub that fact in.

Sirius didn't hesitate to rub in the fact that he was taller, stronger, jetlagged and perfectly willing to throw them out the window if they mentioned any exams again.

No one mentioned exams.

**Author's Note: **I had the students leaving and returned to Hogwarts on a Wednesday to allow for Easter Sunday falling in the middle of the break. **I love Prongs **is still Josey's Aunt Chelsea.

End: The rabbit idea was **Quiditchfan**'s, and **liveonluna** mentioned saddle sores.


	46. Getting Back at the Boys

**Chapter Forty-Six** **– Getting Back at the Boys **

Nikeia was sitting in Transfiguration, the hand under her chin stopping it from dropping to her chest. The NEWT students were supposed to be studying for the surprise test tomorrow, but Nikeia was too tired. Half of her was back in Montana, the sensation of jet lag quite strong. Nikeia assumed that all the spinning through fireplaces didn't help any. Her head reeled, and she didn't dwell on it too long.

Someone behind her cleared their throat. Nikeia squealed and jumped in her seat.

"I believe, Miss Strathmore, that you and your classmates are supposed to be studying," commented Professor McGonagall from over Nikeia's shoulder.

"You would be-" Her words were cut off as she yawned, cursing her body for taking that moment to do so, "-right, professor."

"I know that. Please, stop daydreaming and start studying."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall."

The teacher straightened and look to the young man sitting next to Nikeia. She raised an eyebrow, and flicked her wand.

Sirius shouted very loudly as the chair in which he was lounging Vanished and he crashed to the floor. The rest of the class gasped, and turned to face the loud crash.

"Mr. Black. As I was just saying to Miss Strathmore, I believe that you should be studying. Why are you not doing so?"

"I'm tired," whined Sirius, rising slowly to his feet, a hand to his backside.

"I can see that. Start studying."

"Can I at least have my chair back?" asked Sirius.

McGonagall's lip thinned and eyes narrowed. "What class are you in, Mr. Black?"

"Uh... Transfigu—oh. I get it." With a dejected sigh, Sirius pulled out his own wand, pointed it at a piece of parchment, and changed it into a plain wooden stool. He plopped down on it, propped his elbows on the table and flipped open his book.

"Mm-hmm," murmured McGonagall with a nod. She looked around to the rest of the class; they immediately turned around and got back to studying.

Nikeia sighed, shared a look with Sirius, and then reluctantly got back to work.

That Saturday turned out to be "perfectly beautiful" as Nikeia claimed. The Marauders, Marauderettes, and friends left the castle and walked down to the lake. While the water was still be a too cold to swim in, they didn't waste any time before getting their feet wet.

It was peaceful (despite Lily putting most of her attention into a thick book she had open on her lap) until a football flew past James's head and landed in the water. James spun around, and found that four young men—three Gryffindors, one of them Sam, and a Hufflepuff—were covering their mouths, stifling laughter. One shouted out an apology.

"Play a match, and I'll accept," challenged James. The other boys laughed but nodded. James, Sirius, Frank, Peter, and Antoine retrieved their shoes, put them on and then ran off to play a game of football, sometimes called soccer.

They only had nine players, so Remus was talked into joining in the game. He sighed affably, but ran over.

With the girls finally alone, Lily turned to the others and shared the idea that had been rolling around in the back of her mind.

"Girls, you know how James got me in trouble the week before Easter break?" Lily asked. The other girls looked at each other; they were rather frightened. There was a look in Lily's eyes that was quite unlike her; it looked quite Potterish. The four girls nodded slowly.

"Well, he didn't really get you in trouble," started Alice.

"He didn't take the blame for that prank as he should have," said Lily firmly. "That's enough for me."

Alice ceded the argument. "Very well. What of it, then?"

"I've been thinking..."

"I've had experience; that's something dangerous," stated Josey. The others chuckled. Lily glared playfully.

"Thanks... but, I think you guys will like this. I'm thinking about..."

If any of the men had looked over at that moment, or at another during the course of their game, they would've noticed that their five girls were leaning in to each other, looking rather suspicious.

In fact, Remus looked over once, saw their huddle and gulped. He had a strange feeling that he was having a type of "out-of-body" experience: the five girls looked like how he would think he and the other three Marauders looked when they were planning a prank. He suddenly was wary. But, before he could think about it too much, the football came sailing towards him and James shouted.

About a half hour before dinner, the five girls got up and started walking back towards the school. When James called out to them, asking where they were going, they just waved over their shoulders and continued to walk. James was affronted at first, then apprehensive for a brief moment. Figuring that they were just deep in conversation, he returned to the game, just soon enough to stop the football before it hit his head.

"Alice! Hurry up! We've got to get back upstairs!" whispered Monica loudly, looking back to see Alice's mouth moving silently. The brunette moved her wand back and forth as she stood beneath the archway into the Great Hall. Monica smirked, knowing just what was going on.

Alice finished muttering under her breath and tucked her wand back into her pocket. She shared another smirk with Monica, and then both girls ran back up to the Gryffindor dormitories, laughing all the way.

When they made it into the common room, they met Lily coming out of the seemingly solid wall just inside the Portrait Hole, and saw Nikeia and Josey descending from the boys' dormitory.

"Is it all set up in the Great Hall?" asked the red-head, once they formed a close circle in the middle of the room. Alice and Monica nodded, with smirks.

"Ace. And in the dormitory?" asked Lily, turning to Nikeia.

"Yup; it's all set," informed Nikeia, smiling broadly.

"Lily, I must say that you are a genius," complimented Josey. Lily smiled, and curtseyed.

"Thank you. You're too kind, dahling!" She mimicked Josey's favorite posh upper-class accent to perfection.

"Do you girls think it's going to work?" asked Alice. She had been skeptical from the beginning, but was not about to be left behind.

The other four girls looked at each other, and smiled. Nikeia winked at Alice, and nodded.

"It'll work," assured Lily. "Oh... It'll work."

The five women shared a cackle, and then returned downstairs to head into dinner.

They met the Marauders, Sam, Frank and Antoine when they came even with the Great Hall. Being chivalrous men, they allowed the women to enter first. The five women shared yet another Smirk as they entered the Great Hall. It was nearly full; it still amazed Lily at how quickly the Hall filled up at dinner time. She figured that since the meal couldn't start until nearly everyone was there, people thought that the quicker they got there, the quicker they'd eat. It was sound logic.

The girls started to walk over the threshold; Lily touched her wand that was concealed beneath her robes and muttered softly.

A loud bang sounded from behind them. The girls spun around, their smiles hidden under their "surprise". The rest of the school turned towards the entrance with gasps. When they saw what had made the bang, the school started laughing.

The Marauders were covered in bright confetti. That wasn't the worse part, though. They were also wearing bright, mismatched—_horribly_ mismatched—clothing, and their hair looked as if it had ran afoul of a good static cling charm and then been dyed with neon colors. Their expressions made the whole ensemble even more hilarious. Especially since they were glaring over at the Slytherin table.

Lily wondered if there was even the slightest suspicion in their minds that it wasn't the Slytherins, but the Marauderettes, who had done such a horrible thing. She Smirked again.

Dumbledore's voice rose above the din, accented with a chuckle. "Marauders—and friends," he said.

The school quieted down somewhat; snickers still could be heard throughout the room. The Slytherins were barely hiding their snorts.

"It would seem that someone has just pulled a prank. It would also seem that these people admire the Marauders a great deal, for I do believe that this is the same prank we saw at the beginning of the year…"

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling; Lily could see it even from where she stood at the doors to the Hall.

"As such, I feel we can rule out the Slytherins." He stated pointedly at the Marauders, Sam, Frank and Antoine, who stared back. They, too, had seen that every Slytherin was laughing too hard to look cocky. Their minds immediately began thinking again.

"Misses Evans, Strathmore, Bretten, Walker and Terra… May I have an explanation, please?" Dumbledore was fixing them with a steady gaze and a faint smile.

The five aforementioned girls looked to each other, but weren't quite surprised that Dumbledore knew. The rest of the school, however, reacted loudly: a collective gasp ran through the hall, and a few thumps sounded from people falling off the benches.

Sirius's gasp was the loudest. He gave a frustrated squeak and stomped his foot. Remus was frowning, but he strangely didn't look surprised. Peter was rubbing his left eye, trying to get a piece of confetti out of it, so he missed Dumbledore's statement. Sam, Antoine, James and Frank just looked shocked.

Lily stepped forward. "Headmaster, you are too wise. It was indeed us. We just felt that the Marauders needed to be… _rewarded_… for all the laughter they have given us over the past years. And what better way to do that than to reward them in their own way? Mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery, after all," Lily said, her Smirk still in place.

Dumbledore's lips turned up. He looked down at her over his glasses.

"I couldn't agree with you more. The Marauders will be a missed addition to this school when they graduate. Given, of course, that they all do so." He looked pointedly at Sirius.

"I get good grades!" he shouted back, raising his fist.

Dumbledore smiled indulgingly. "But, may I ask why Mr. Donnelly, Mr. Wood and Mr. Longbottom received the same reward?"

"Well, they walked in at the same time the Marauders did," Lily said, as she shrugged. "There was no overlooking the fact, unfortunately. The charm was not selective."

Nikeia's snicker from beside Lily gave away the fact that the other four girls did not think it was so unfortunate.

"I see. And may I ask one more thing?"

"Of course, Headmaster."

"What exactly is their price?" asked Dumbledore.

Lily sighed. "Unfortunately, Headmaster, we five were not able to duplicate the Marauders' original prank. They will only have to walk around like this for a week."

"It is still a mighty feat. Congratulations on a charm well cast." He inclined his head.

The five girls smiled back. Lily noticed Gamekeeper Hagrid attempting to hide a large grin behind an equally large hand. She grinned as well.

"However," continued Dumbledore, "I can not let you off without a punishment."

"But we _rewarded_ them," stated Monica, loudly. "Why should _we_ get punished?"

The other four girls looked down at Monica with surprise on their faces. She swallowed self-consciously.

Dumbledore chuckled. "You're quite right, Miss Terra. Is there anyone here who would mind seeing these five girls go away without punishment for this prank against the Marauders and their three friends?"

Naturally, most of the Slytherins—who loved to see any Gryffindor get punished—raised their hands. However, that wasn't enough to override the fact that no one in the other three Houses lifted their hands.

James spluttered, gesturing wildly. "That's not fair!"

"Yeah! Are you serious, Headmaster? They're get to get off without punishment?" shouted Sirius, his fluffy purple hair wobbling outrageously. The five girls snorted in laughter.

"Mr. Black, I do believe that you are Sirius. I am Albus."

Sirius opened his mouth to speak against what he thought Dumbledore was going to say, but then he realized just what Dumbledore actually said. His mouth shut and he glared at his Headmaster. "I wasn't trying to make a joke," he said when the laughter died down.

"No, you're right, because that was a statement, not a joke."

The school laughed again.

Sirius let out his breath in a frustrated way, giving up.

"Ladies, I will take five points from your House for keeping us from our dinner, which I can almost smell. Please, take your seats. The same goes towards those Slytherins that are rolling on the floor."

Those Slytherins rose quickly from the floor and attempted to regain their dignity.

The Marauders, Sam, Antoine and Frank sighed and walked over to the Gryffindor table. Sirius and James had begun to strut, making the best of the situation. Lily and Nikeia looked over at each other and smiled. "I love them," Lily sighed happily. Nikeia laughed and nodded.

"Indeed. Come on, let's eat."

Dinner was a happy affair at the Gryffindor table. James and Sirius played off their costumes spectacularly. Peter got into it after he got the piece of confetti from his eye, though not as much as Antoine did. Remus raised his eyebrow at Lily with a pleading look. She shrugged, Smirked and turned back to her boyfriend. Remus sighed, and shook his head, resigned.

When the men returned to their dormitories, they found that all their clothing had been changed to outrageous colors; they weren't exactly surprised.

James walked out from his room into the common room where Lily was studying. "Lily… do you really admire us Marauders as much as you made Dumbledore believe?"

"Of course I do," Lily said, preoccupied with an old star chart. James noticed that she had gotten an eleven-out-of-ten.

He sighed. "Liar."

"Liar yourself." Lily turned away from her work and looked up at the man standing next to her. "I do admire the way you, Sirius, Peter and Antoine were able to brush off the fact that you had strangely-colored hair and act as if nothing was different. That and I love how your pink robes bring out your eyes."

James Smirked, and knelt down. "Do they?" he asked before kissing her. She sighed against him, and kissed him back. James pulled her closer, and continued the kiss. However, Lily broke away slowly.

"James, I have to study. I haven't seen this chart in years; I've forgotten quite a bit."

"I highly doubt that. You've been studying since dinner."

"That's not true, I did my homework first."

James narrowed his eyes. "My point is that you've been leaning over this table too long. Come outside; let's go for a broom ride."

"A broom ride? James, that's against school rules."

"Exactly," James smirked, before standing, pulling Lily up after him and Accio-ing his broomstick and his Invisibility Cloak. Allowing Lily a moment or two to goggle over the Cloak, James opened the window in their room. He straddled the broom and gestured Lily over. She glared at him (perhaps only for principle's sake) and sat on the broom, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He expanded the Cloak with the incantation from the book Remus had given him at Christmas, and threw it over them both, putting the edges into Lily's hands. He felt her sigh behind him, and he smirked before taking off through the window.

Once they were outside in the beautiful night air, he turned and bent slightly so as to kiss her. Lily returned the kiss briefly, then nudged his head with her own so he would face forward and keep both eyes on the sky.

He laughed, and continued to fly around the school.

**Author's Note: **It was **Fiffer Haliwell**'s idea to have the Marauderettes prank the Marauders.

**Fun note**: this was originally published to MNFF right before Deathly Hallows, the book, came out.


	47. Studying, Frustration, and Fun

**Chapter Forty-Seven – Studying, Frustration, and Fun**

By Lily's reckoning, the end of the year was very close—and that meant that it was time to study for NEWTs or end of year exams. To the rest of the school—excluding most of the Ravenclaws and the more studious students—the end of the year was still a month and a half away and _that_ meant relax for at least another month.

But, those in Gryffindor that knew Lily Evans, Head Girl, had known the day when she would start to add time to their night study sessions was not far away. They had known it was coming ever since they returned from Easter break nearly three weeks ago. She had continually hinted at it over those weeks, at which point James dragged her off either to patrol the hallways, start a game of wizard's chess (at which she was getting better, but still not great), or make Shutter-Uppers with Monica and Sam, whom they stole from their own friends.

Regardless, during their mandatory hour-a-night it became very hard for James and Sirius (who gratefully no longer looked like confused clowns) to concentrate for that long. Really, they abided the time mostly as a reason to be with friends, even if it was in silence. Frank and Alice had even taken to studying in the library, joining the group in the Gryffindor common room about twice a week. Antoine and Josey had trouble keeping their hands to themselves for such a long stretch of time. They could usually work while holding hands, but once they started playing footsey…

It was during one of the recently expanded sessions, on a Saturday afternoon, when they had been 'studying' for nearly two hours, that James got fed up. He had been attempting to read some of Lily's old textbooks—all of his were back at the closed-up manor, where they should be, considering they were from his earlier years at school—when he suddenly slammed his book shut, stood from his chair and started walking across the common room.

"James, where you do think you're going?" Lily asked, looking up from her chart.

"Out. I've been staring out the window more than I've been reading. It's nearly May, Evans! Those kids out there are starting to make me really jealous. It's gorgeous out; I'm going to enjoy it. If I have to sit here for much longer, I'll be thoroughly tempted to throw you into a broom closet and lock you in for a while. I c—I can't do this. I'm sorry," James said; his voice proved that he truly meant it. He turned to the man who had been sitting next to him. "Padfoot, mate, are you coming with me?"

The young man who could pass as James's brother glanced from James to his book to Lily, and then mimicked James and slammed his book shut. He rose from his seat and said, "You bet, mate. I'm ready for a jump in the pond."

"Oh, that's sounds good…" admitted James.

"You two aren't leaving!" cried Lily, glancing from one man to the other.

They didn't listen; James disappeared beyond the Portrait Tunnel, and Sirius vanished from view as he ran up the dormitory steps.

Lily turned back to those still at the table and glared.

"Lils…" started Nikeia, pleadingly.

"No! You're not going either. We still have to study."

"Lily!" cried Josey, deciding to mutiny. She, too, slammed her book shut. "I think James has a brilliant idea. I've studied everything I have to study! And I'm not going to remember any of it. We've tried the let's-study-two-months-in-advance thing before, and it doesn't work."

She got up from the table and started up the dormitory stairs. She paused halfway up and turned back. "Antoine? Are you going to come with us?"

Almost apologetically, Antoine glanced at Lily, rolled up his parchment and stood. "Sorry, Lily." He followed Sirius up the stairs.

Lily looked at Nikeia, Remus and Peter as if daring them to leave, too.

"Lily, you know how I am," started Nikeia, biting her bottom lip.

Lily turned on her with shocked eyes. Was everyone mutinying on her?

"I study better when it's closer to the actual test. I seriously need fresh air… Sorry."

The thin young woman gathered her books and Josey's headed for the stairs. Without uttering more than "sorry," Peter also left the table.

Lily looked pleadingly at Remus. "Please… Don't leave."

"Lily, the others are right. We're not used to studying this much, and it's going to make very little difference. Even _I_ don't study two months before the test. It's a beautiful day; come out with us and enjoy it." He started to pack his books.

"But… the full moon's tonight; you're tired enough as it is," Lily whispered, not that there was anyone else in the common room within earshot.

Remus chuckled. "I'm also really pale; some sun will do me good." He pushed in his chair and looked down at Lily once more. "Come on… you're looking pale, too."

Remus started across the common room. Sirius came down, dressed in swim trunks and a t-shirt with a towel thrown over his shoulder.

"Like your towel, mate," teased Remus.

"Thanks! I got it from some guy for a present," retorted Sirius, with just as much teasing. Remus chuckled, the weariness almost gone from his voice, and started up the stairs.

"You're not going to join us, Lily?" asked Antoine, coming back into the common room not long after.

Lily silently—and stubbornly—shook her head.

In a mock whisper Lily easily heard, Sirius said, "We'll see her outside in five—okay, ten—minutes after we've left."

Antoine chuckled and smiled at Lily over his shoulder. "Or she can join us now…"

"Nah, she won't. She's got to prove a point, you know? That she doesn't give in easily. She is Lily Evans, after all."

"Sirius," said Remus, coming back down the stairs, dressed in a similar fashion to Sirius and Antoine; comfortable, but he wasn't wearing swim trunks; just a pair of shorts. He had a book in his hand. "Lily already proved she doesn't give in easily by not going out with James for six years."

Sirius and Antoine laughed. "You've got a point there!" admitted Sirius, amid his laughter.

"I know I do, but stop teasing the poor girl," ordered Remus gently.

"Oh, come on! She's going to be my sister-in-law, why can't I tease her?"

"Sister-in-law?" asked Nikeia as she came back into the common room. She looked at Lily—who was blushing quite profusely. "You're going to marry Regulus?" She put her hands on her hips, now clad in a skirt over her bathing suit.

"Not Regulus!," cried Sirius. "James! He's more of a brother than Regulus will ever be."

"Aw… I'm flattered," cooed James, before he came into view. The others now in the common room laughed. "Lily, you're sure that you're not going to join us?"

Lily shook her head yet again, determined to look as uninterested as possible as she stared at the pages of her book.

"She's got a point to make, mate," informed Sirius loftily.

"Oh…" said James slowly, looking at Lily. She noticed that his eyes were almost glittering with mirth. "I'll give her fifteen minutes to come outside after we leave," bet James.

Lily snapped her head up, realizing that she had just become the object of a bet. She had probably been the object of some bet in the past, but to have knowledge of the bet as it was unfolding is a bit more annoying.

"Ten minutes—a galleon!" cried Sirius, holding his hand out to James.

"A galleon? That's a bit much, don't you think?" James froze, stopping Sirius's next words. "No, don't answer that; of course it's not too much. Fine, a galleon it is. See you in fifteen minutes, Lily!" said James, waving to Lily.

(James exited the common room with the Smirk on his face, feeling sure that he would win that galleon. Of course, Sirius was sure that _he_ would win the bet.)

The others followed the two men out the portrait hole.

"You know, if you come now, neither of them will win…" stated Remus, walking slowly towards the portrait hole.

"If I take _sixteen_ minutes neither of them will win either," muttered Lily.

Remus smirked and left the common room.

Lily watched as the Portrait closed. She sighed. Betrayed… left alone… _Oh, what a terrible feeling_.

She tried to study for a few more minutes but the urge to look outside was too great. She growled, and slid over to the seat closest to the window. Raising herself up, she saw the lake spread out far below her. She sighed. The sky was a clear clue, with only a few clouds, and the grass was a gorgeous green. She had a feeling that James would compare the grass to her eyes if she was out there.

She threw a look back over her shoulder at her book and parchment chart. She looked back outside, and then groaned.

"Lily!" she said aloud to herself. "Don't give in! You've got to study!"

_But you can spend a few minutes outside with your friends. You _do_ have two more months to study. _

"But I shouldn't! It's my NEWT year!"

_And_ _you'll pass all your exams with flying colors. You'll be fine. Go out… enjoy yourself._

"But…" She had run out of arguments. She ready _did_ want to go outside…

Lily glanced down at her watch. It had been seven minutes. Neither of them would win if she came out now…

_But, Sirius is right, isn't he_? said that annoying little voice in the back of her head. _You've got a point to make; that you're tough and you won't give in to temptation_.

"So, what if I do?" asked Lily, playing with the corner of her parchment as she deliberated.

_To go, or not to go. That is the question,_ said the voice. Lily recognized Shakespeare. She rolled her eyes. _It's not a question of studying anymore; it's now a question of whether or not you can face their laughter that you're not strong._

"Will you shut up!" asked Lily loudly to the little voice.

She thought she heard the little voice giggle.

She covered her face in her hands and groaned. She peeked at her watch. Nine minutes… Sirius was about to lose…

She made up her mind. She stood from the table quickly, knocking over her chair with a clatter. She picked it up before putting her books and such back into her bag. She walked out of the common room into the tunnel to her dorm.

"Gillyweed!" she shouted to the portrait.

"Now, that's no way to talk to me!" cried the portrait of the ethereal young woman.

Lily frowned. "Do forgive me. Gillyweed!"

The portrait laughed her signature tinkling laugh. "Sarcasm is not appreciated either."

Lily sighed. "My mystical and mightily magnificent portrait, you make me immeasurably more morose by making my means to make it to my dorms decidedly difficult. Do me a dear favor, and open. Please."

The portrait laughed again, and opened to the Head Girl. "Alliteration—amazingly amazing!"

Lily stepped through, sighing again. She changed quickly into shorts and a t-shirt over her bathing suit. She grabbed a book or two (for principle, of course!) and walked out the main portrait hole.

When she got to the nearest exit, she glanced at her watch again. Fifteen minutes. James just lost his bet.

She smirked, waited until half past the minute, and then opened the door.

She sighed, grateful that the little voice in her head had talked her into coming out. The air was gorgeous; rather unusual for the highlands, even when it was almost May. But, she wasn't complaining. Neither was anyone else.

She started walking toward the lake where she had seen the others sitting around.

She saw Remus lift his head from her book, and look her way. She smiled lopsidedly at him.

He smiled broadly, and Lily wondered why he did so.

He stood and poked James in the back. He and Sirius were throwing a Quaffle back and forth to each other. (Lily realized that James and Sirius must have stolen an extra one from the Quidditch pitch to take to America, and now to play on the grounds.)

James turned around, and Remus pointed to Lily. James' eyes widened, and he looked down at his watch.

"Sixteen minutes," Remus said, smiling broadly. "Pay up. I believe you both owe me a galleon."

Lily paused, and felt her mouth drop open.

"Why you…" Words failed her. "You bet on me?"

Remus shrugged. "I figured you wouldn't let James win; you would wait one more minute before showing up. And so you did."

She started to open her mouth to say that he only knew that because she had muttered it. She didn't know he had heard her.

Remus's eyes and the shake of his head pleaded her not to say anything.

She sighed, figuring that Remus could use the two galleons. She shrugged and sighed tiredly.

"Come on, pay up," ordered Remus, smiling again as he turned to his two friends.

"What, you think we carry around galleons in our pockets while we're outside playing around?" asked James, whipping the Quaffle towards Remus's chest. The thin and rather pale man caught it with a grunt and a laugh, and threw it back towards Sirius.

"Fine; you're paying me as soon as we get back to the common room."

James and Sirius groaned a "Yes, sir."

Lily smiled and went to sit with Josey, Nikeia, Antoine and Peter on the pier.

"So, you lasted sixteen minutes. I'm proud of you," teased Nikeia, moving sideways to bump Lily's arm.

Lily glared at her friend, and then pushed her off the pier.

Nikeia landed in the water with a very satisfactory splash.

"Why you little brat!" shouted Nikeia, surfacing. The water came up to just above her waist; the lake gained depth very quickly.

Lily laughed, but wasn't expecting Nikeia to reach out and pull her in.

The water was chilly, but thoroughly enjoyable. The others pulled off their t-shirts and shorts to expose their swimsuits, and slipped in as well. James and Sirius took running starts and jumped off the end of the pier. James had the farther jump, but only by a couple of inches.

Sirius demanded a rematch, and they were joined this time by Antoine. Each took their jump while Lily created floating marks that showed were each man landed.

And the day moved forward; swimming in the water, jumping off the pier, tossing the Quaffle back and forth. Josey brought up the Muggle pastime of chicken fights, in which one person sat on the shoulders of another and fought a similar pair. She claimed she had learned it from Cole years ago. James and Lily became the champs at that.

When it got a too cold to swim, the eight students got out of the water and sat on the grass.

Lily was cuddled against James's chest, watching as the sun set in beautiful colors.

"You know, Lils," he whispered against her ear. "The grass reminded me of your eyes today; such a beautiful green." He kissed her ear, and she smiled.

"I had a feeling you were going to say something like that," she whispered back.

"I always knew you were a smart girl."

Lily tilted her head back to look at him. He brought his lips down obligingly for a sweet, tender kiss.

And for once, no one objected to their display of affection.


	48. It's Nearly Over

**Chapter Forty-Eight – It's Nearly Over**

The next weekend was the final game of the Quidditch Cup. Slytherin versus Gryffindor. What a surprise. They were nearly tied for the House Cup; Slytherin was forty-nine points above Gryffindor with 550 points.

James Potter watched the stadium fill up with students. He smiled faintly, remembering all the games he had played since he joined the team in his third year. And here he was; Quidditch Captain. But, that was about to come to an end. He would be graduating.

Joshua Spinnet came up beside James. "What's wrong? You look… I don't know. Tense." He looked closer. "You look like you're about to cry," he added, surprise and a hint of disgust laced into his voice.

James chuckled. "This is the last time I'll ever fly around this pitch; last time I'll see the entire school sitting in those stands."

Joshua looked at James for a moment longer, but nodded and looked out over the pitch. He seemed to understand a bit of what James was feeling.

Suddenly, James turned to Joshua. "Technically, you're not supposed to know until this summer, when you get your letter, but I'm making you Quidditch Captain."

"Huh?" Joshua whimpered. James laughed at his distress.

"You're going to be the Captain. You've come along rather nicely," James said, putting a pompous-sounding drawl into his voice and he drew himself up to his full height. "And I think you'll be able to keep the team in shape next year."

Joshua whimpered again.

"You don't want it?" stated James, pretending to be surprised. "Well, then, I guess I could give it to Autumn. She's a pretty good little flyer-"

"NO!" shouted Joshua. The other team members and Samuel, who was helping with strategy, turned to look at Joshua with questioning looks.

"He thinks I'm going to give Captain-ship to Autumn," claimed James, pointing to Joshua.

The slight girl looked up. Or tried to. She had been in the process of pulling her scarlet robe over her shirt, pants and padding, and when she looked up, the edge of the robe got caught on her locker door. With a gentle teasing, Cory reached over and unhooked the robes for the other girl.

"You're going to make me captain?" Autumn asked, her voice shrill with surprise.

James laughed. "No, unfortunately I'm not, I'm sorry. None of you should know this until next year, but if you promise not to tell anyone…" James looked around the dressing room. Everyone shook their heads, and mimed crossing their hearts. "I'm going to make Joshua, here, the Captain."

"Oh good! I wasn't ready to be the Captain. Joshua's a much better flyer," admitted Autumn with a sigh.

"He's a pretty good kisser, too," admitted Cory with a smirk. Joshua blushed and looked down at the ground. James laughed, and clapped the younger man on the shoulder.

"Relax, will you? So you all agree with the decision?" James looked around once again at his team mates. The two second year Beaters nodded, as did Cory and Autumn. Antoine continued to lace up his boots; he was a seventh year and had no further say in who would be Captain; he had agreed about Joshua with James when the latter asked him for his opinion of the sixth year.

"Great." James looked out to the pitch, and saw that it was full. "You all can still owl me for help; I won't care." He gathered up his broom and started to walk back to the door. "Oh, Sam; would you mind training under this dolt?"

Joshua spluttered angrily, but James ignored him. Samuel narrowed his eyes at Joshua Spinnet as if assessing him. The carefree smile that came across his face as he nodded indicated his agreement.

"Good. Joshua, when you hold tryouts, make sure you take a good look at little Samuel Donnelly. He's a pretty good Keeper, but I think he's got the potential to make a good Chaser as well. And it only took three snowballs to come to that conclusion," said James, alluding to the snowball fight they had before heading to Hogsmeade for masquerade costumes.

Joshua looked over at Samuel, with an appraising look in his eye; the other teammates could tell that he was teasing. He walked over to the first year and pulled him off the chair. He walked around him, poking and prodding the little boy, pulling his arms and putting on a show. "I've seen him fly during practice; he seems adequate. I think he'll do."

Samuel grabbed the Quaffle sitting on the bench, and pushed it into Joshua's stomach. The older boy let out a great gasp of breath, and doubled over. The other teammates laughed, and Samuel nodded once.

"Yeah… I'll keep an eye out for him in tryouts." Joshua's voice seemed rather wheezy. The team laughed again, and Samuel nodded cockily.

Joshua straightened and threw the Quaffle back at Samuel. The brown-haired boy caught it easily before it smashed his nose. Joshua seemed disappointed.

Before he had to say anything else to Samuel's cocky visage, he turned and grabbed his broom.

"Let's start this game, shall we?"

"I believe I'm the only one allowed to say that until next year, Spinnet," James said menacingly.

Joshua looked guiltily up at James. He was a couple inches shorter than James; just under sixth feet.

"All right, guys," James said, looking around slowly at his team again. "Last game of the year; for two of us, it'll be our last Quidditch game of a school career." James shared a glance with Antoine. "If we lose it, I won't really care. As long as we play it to the best of our abilities." James paused. "I mean, I would love it if we could win." He paused so the others could chuckle. "But if we don't, I don't mind. Gosh, I almost can't believe I'm saying that," he admitted, pressing his hand to his forehead. His teammates nodded in agreement, but continued to smile. "Just… let's give the school a game to talk about."

The others cheered and brought their hands in for their customary cheer. They shouted 'Gryffindor' at the same time and, with their heads lifted, they walked out onto the pitch.

The game was a long one, and Cory Firion only let one Slytherin goal through, not that she wanted to. The Slytherin Keeper, however, let past thirty Gryffindor goals, stopping half as many as well.

After three hours of a taut atmosphere, the Slytherin Seeker finally caught the Snitch.

The game ended 160 to 300; Gryffindor won the game, and the Quidditch Cup. The win also put Gryffindor in first place to win the House Cup with 801 points. James thought that it was a splendid way to end the year; giving up the Snitch in the final game, but (almost) winning two Cups.

Lily would've been proud of him.

May passed quickly as it was filled with studying that the Marauders required to be broken by frequent trips outside, games of Exploding Snap or wizard's chess, or just lounging in the common room.

A few weeks after the final Quidditch game, the final full moon of the school year hung over the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Lily was left alone once more as James had to run outside to be with his mates that Monday night.

There wasn't very much to do that night; only a couple of kids were caught in the hallways. She missed James on that slow night, but her mouth curled upwards when she realized just how she felt.

She was missing James, when this time last year she was only too happy to be almost rid of him for an entire summer. Oh, the difference a year made. She sighed, and leaned against the window. It just so happened to be the window where they shared their first real kiss. Her lips titled upwards again when she remembered that. She blocked out the events that followed directly afterward.

Lily pulled the necklace out of her blouse and fondled the charm. She had caught herself in the midst of daydreaming about her wedding before, each time seeing the face of James standing in front of her. He had looked incredibly handsome. She bit her lip and giggled.

She took a seat on the on the window ledge. She saw a very small dark shape move across the lawn. It disappeared under the Whomping Willow. The tree, which had been around for all their seven years, stilled quickly, and Lily watched for movement of James, Sirius and Remus. She didn't see them, and figured they had performed a Disillusionment Charm. Then, she remembered the Invisibility Cloak.

She wished good luck to James and his dear friends, and got up from her seat. After finishing her rounds, she walked back up to her dormitory, took a quick shower, and fell asleep on the couch.

She was woken by a loud clattering. A soft curse came after, in James's voice.

"James? Are you back?"

The door to the bathroom opened and James's head and bare torso came into view. His right arm was being held across his waist; his left side was hidden from her view.

"Hey, Lils."

He sounded tired. Lily stood and walked over to him. "Are you all right? Are you hiding something from me?"

"Um… what?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Lily pushed the door open so that all of James was visible. She gasped. Along James's left side, hidden partially by his hand, blood caked his skin.

"Oh, James! What happened?" she asked, gently moving his hand away. A long gash—it looked deep, too—was under his hand, right below his ribs. She winced at the sight; James winced at the feeling.

"Moony got a bit out of control… ouch… He just scratched me; it's not a bite."

"I admit, I'm very glad to hear that." Lily moved James to sit down atop a small stool beside the tub. "Wait here; I'll go get my wand."

James nodded, and Lily ran into her room.

"Don't move, you silly!" Lily admonished as she came back into the bathroom and saw James wincing from his attempts to take off his shoes. She knelt down on the marble tile next to him. She swallowed before removing James's hand from his side again. The wound was bleeding afresh, and her face screwed up. She didn't do well with blood, but for James's sake, she steeled herself.

Lily walked on her knees over to the sink and grabbed a rag. She soaked it in lukewarm water, and then commenced cleaning James's wound. Once the blood was gone, she used her wand to heal the cut.

James sighed gratefully as the pain subsided.

"It might still bruise; I just wanted to close the cut."

"That's fine; as long as I'm not in danger of bleeding to death."

Lily admired James's ability to crack a gentle joke. She pulled his head down to kiss him gently.

"You're all right, otherwise?" she asked, running her hands over his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sirius got a bit cut up, but it was nothing too bad. Peter escaped danger like he always does. There's more than one good thing about being a rat."

"And Remus?" Lily started to remove James's socks. It caused a funny feeling to enter her stomach; it was a very wife-like thing to do. She also noticed that he had nice feet.

"We got him calm enough so that he didn't try killing any of us again. It just took a bit longer than we would've liked."

"Do you think some of his human emotions affected his thoughts as a werewolf?" asked Lily. "Like, can his fear of graduating make him a bit angrier as a werewolf?"

James thought for a moment as he looked down at Lily. "I don't think he's afraid of not graduating."

"Perhaps not the fear of _not_ graduating, per se. But the fear of what comes after." She looked up at him again. "Life, and a career, and this War."

James nodded. "I'm not positive. You know Remus; he can be secretive at times. But I wouldn't be surprised if the emotions carried over."

Lily nodded, and smiled as James stroked her chin softly. She had folded her arms across his lap, and was leaning against him. His gaze traveled over her face. Lily returned the gaze.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" she questioned, not unkindly.

"I was just thinking about everything we've been through. This whole year… It's nearly over."

"It's been a crazy year."

James chuckled sarcastically. "Really? I thought it went along swimmingly."

Lily swatted his thigh gently. "I wouldn't trade it for anything though."

James nodded. "I agree. I finally got Lily Evans; why _w__ould_ I trade it?"

Lily narrowed her eyes playfully at James. "I finally got James Potter to act his age."

James scoffed. "I'd like to think I did that on my own, thank you very much."

"Oh, and Merlin's my uncle!" retorted Lily. James glared at her.

They broke into laughter at the same time. James reached down to pull Lily up to him; he did it slowly so that he wouldn't aggravate the cut. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight enough to show his feelings, but not tight enough to hurt himself. Again.

Lily hugged him back, reveling in the feeling of his arms around her. It wasn't the first time she had felt such peace and security, and it wouldn't be the last. At least, she had a very sneaky suspicion that it wouldn't.

A few minutes later, James pulled away, citing that he had to shower before heading to bed. Lily nodded, and left the bathroom. She curled up on the couch in the common room, her eyes closed as she waited.

James came and sat next to her minutes later. He pulled her close and together they watched the flames begin to die.

"What are we going to do? When we leave here, I mean?" asked Lily quietly.

James was silent. Lily was about to reiterate her question, thinking that he didn't hear her, but then he spoke.

"We're going to live."

Lily's heart swelled. "I love you, James," she whispered, kissing the arm that was wrapped around her.

"I love you, too, Lily." James kissed her temple gently and shifted closer.

Together, they fell asleep watching the flames die.

When two house elves came into the Head's room, they saw the young couple curled up on the couch together. They looked at each other and sniggered.

"Mopsy is thinking that the miss and the sir are in love."

"Flopsy is thinking so, too, Mopsy."

The two elves giggled again and started to tidy up.

**Author's Note:** And, of course. I had to get house elves in there somewhere. Perhaps there are two more in Hogwarts called "Cottontail" and "Peter Rabbit". Then again, maybe not. ;D


	49. NEWTs

**Chapter Forty-Nine – NEWTs**

James Potter walked into his common room, having gone to the loo and noticed light coming from the other side of the door. He groaned when he opened that door. "Lily…"

The girl was sitting at the desk, her head bent over a book. James couldn't see her face, but he knew what she was doing.

"Why are you studying?"

"First day of NEWTs are tomorrow. I don't want to forget anything."

James rolled his eyes. He walked forward—stumbled, really—rubbing his eyes roughly. He leaned over Lily's shoulder. "Darling… It's after midnight. The best thing for you, right now, is to get some sleep."

When she didn't move, he closed her book, ignored her arguing, and threw her over his shoulder.

Carrying her swiftly to her room, he set her down inside. He ordered, "Change into your pajamas. I'll be back in two minutes to make sure you're in bed."

He stepped out of the room and leaned against the door. He heard Lily grumble as she changed. When he heard her bedsprings creak slightly, he opened the door once more. Lily glared up at James as he walked over and looked at her pointedly. She moved down and laid her head atop her feather pillow, not quite glaring at him, but definitely annoyed. James spread his mother's quilt over her, and then walked around to the other side of the bed. He got under the cover, and moved closer to his girl.

"Ha. Now you can't read." (He had noticed the book that she had not quite completely slipped under the bed.)

"You're truly terrible, you know that?"

"Yup," he whispered and kissed her neck gently. She giggled and squeezed his arm.

"Fine. I'll sleep."

"Good girl," he muttered, before pretending to snore. He felt Lily sigh, and then her breathing slowed and even, and he knew she was asleep. He smiled faintly before following her.

Breakfast was a quiet affair for the seventh years; they were all thinking about the tests they were going to take. Lily was especially jumpy, and answered questions with facts from her classes that were not related in any way to the question. The most memorable one was when she responded to Sirius with the story of the brutal murder of an ancient goblin king; Sirius pressed his hand her mouth and said he asked for the kippers, not the killers.

After that episode, James sighed and reached into his bag. He held out a piece of chocolate wrapped in aluminum foil to Lily. (It was Remus's favorite remedy to stress; they four of them downed a bar each after a full moon.) She smiled rather wanly and took the chocolate. James handed other pieces of candy to the others around him.

He watched as Lily put the candy in her mouth. When she swallowed, James allowed himself a smirk.

She caught the smile, and her eyes widened. "You put something in the chocolate, didn't you?" she asked, scandalized.

James shrugged.

"You did! What was it?" The odd thing was that despite her words, Lily seemed calm.

Sirius started laughing, figuring out James's answer before it was spoken. "Prongs, you're brilliant!" he said, smacking James on the back. "The Chill-Out Pills from Zonko's!"

James nodded in his best mate's direction. Lily's eyes were wide. "You gave me a Chill-Out Pill?"

James shrugged, guilty. "You wouldn't have relaxed otherwise. I saw them in your night-table when you went to take a shower this morning."

"I don't want to know what you were doing in her room, James," murmured Remus, before putting a bite of scrambled eggs into his mouth.

"I caught Lily studying after midnight; I made her get into bed and, so she wouldn't study, I stayed and slept next to her. It worked; she fell asleep right away."

Remus accepted the explanation with a doubtful "uh-huh" and a slow nod.

Lily sighed at her boyfriend, but started eating—something she hadn't been doing before the chocolate. James laughed haughtily to himself.

Breakfast was almost over when Dumbledore stood. "Everyone; today starts the Ordinary Wizarding Level tests for fifth years, and the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests for our seventh years."

He paused to listen to the groans emitting from these two groups of students, and the snickers and laughs from the other five years.

Dumbledore looked around at everyone. They quieted again. "It is not a laughing matter as everyone will have to take these tests at some point; offer support to your fellow students, please. Perhaps they will be able to help you in the future when it is your turn."

The students not taking tests looked around at their upperclassmen; they were wondering who would be best for giving out tips. Quite a few glances were thrown in the direction of the Marauders and their friends.

"Fifth and seventh years; you should have already received your schedules and room assignments from your Head of House. Please report to those locations at the proper time. When you do not have a test, please behave yourselves when you are in the library or in your common room; others will be studying. If you decide to go outside to study, please hold your notes tightly; there is a rather strong breeze, and the giant squid does not appreciate parchment in his lake."

He paused so that everyone could chuckle. McGonagall rolled her eyes beside him.

"And now, all of you who do not have these exams to take must be off to your morning classes. And remember to focus. It is quite important in all your classes."

Dumbledore turned away, and the Great Hall started to empty.

The forty-or-so seventh years moved outside to the Entrance Hall; they would wait for the Great Hall to be set up, and then they would sit for their Transfiguration exam. That afternoon, they would take their practical exam. The fifth years took off for their Care of Magical Creatures exam.

Halfway through the exam, Sirius Black lifted his head. James was sitting directly across from him on his left (_Brilliant seating plan_, he thought); Prongs looked over and winked. Sirius returned the gesture with a thumbs-up and looked over to Moony. The brown-haired bookworm was sitting right a row, and back two seats. Moony lifted his head as well and smiled wanly toward Sirius. The black-haired young man winked back, and as he turned back to his paper, he realized something that came as a shock: This would be one of the last times he would be able to look over his shoulder and see Moony or Prongs. (Wormtail wasn't in the Great Hall at the moment, but Sirius thought forward to the test they would share together.) After these exams, they would be let out into the world—which was a daunting thought to him. He wondered what he would do; what he would be.

He looked to the desk that Nikeia was sitting in, two rows to his right. She seemed to sense his gaze, like Moony and Prongs had, and looked up. She beamed at him, and the familiar sensation entered his stomach. Every time Nikeia had looked at him (or kissed him, or touched him, or was around him) he felt the same feeling.

He wondered if she would be a part of his life.

As he dazed off at the floor, imagining life, he heard a cough beside him. He looked up to see Professor McGonagall standing there, an eyebrow raised.

He smiled engagingly at her. She rolled her eyes, and even permitted a small smile to touch her thin lips.

"Get back to work, Mr. Black," she whispered lightly, touching his shoulder.

Sirius realized, as she walked over to James, that he would miss the old woman. He guessed it had something to do with that fact that she had given them their name. Or maybe it was because she always had a comment to make. Or maybe because she had been his Head of House for seven years and dealt with all his troublemaking. Or, it might be that she always had a comeback to make and never backed down—true Gryffindor spirit, that.

Whatever the reason was, Sirius reasoned, he would miss this school… the teachers… the other students… the food.

His stomach grumbled as he mourned the day that would be his last for Hogwarts' house elves' food. He sighed desolately and got back to his exam.

Josephine Bretten sighed much like Sirius had done as she put a period at the end of her Charms essay the next day.

_It's the end_, she thought. _After these exams, I'm free._ She chuckled ruefully_. What'll I do with myself?_

She felt a finger slide down her spine; she shivered. Whoever had sat Antoine right behind her was one smart teacher indeed.

She felt something slip over her shoulder and fall lightly into her lap. She picked up the invisible note, which became visible as soon as she touched it.

Scrawled in Antoine's vertical cursive were three little words that made her heart do handstands and cartwheels. She was rather jealous of its gorgeous ability to do those two feats; she was miserable at both.

She sighed girlishly, and drew a heart (which she charmed red) on the opposite side of the paper. She flicked it back over her shoulder. She heard Antoine chuckle.

Glancing up, she saw Flitwick looking at her. Trying to not look like she had passed a note, she fiddled with her quill as thought she was thinking of another line. It worked; Flitwick turned his gaze on another seventeen-year-old student.

Josey glanced towards Nikeia—who was looking at Sirius. Josey giggled. She looked next at Lily, who was sitting right beside her. Lily was doodling on a piece of paper. Josey would've employed her dramatic side and fallen out of her chair, had she not been sitting in the middle of a very important exam.

Hopefully, she would get enough NEWTs to be able to work at the Ministry in the Muggle offices. Josey felt that was the best place for her, having grown up Muggle. At best, she would work at the Ministry until she was able to start a family with Antoine.

She blushed, thinking about him. They had talked—often in teasing tones—about spending the rest of their lives together. Lately, though, the teasing tones hadn't happened. The idea had started to grow on her, until it became firmly planted in her mind as what she hoped—wished—wanted—to happen.

She had a feeling it would, because Antoine's fingers were making tiny circles across her back and she didn't think she wanted another man to touch her like that.

She was happy, and started to look forward to life after Hogwarts.

Remus Lupin shifted in his chair. He sat under a large pavilion out on the grounds beside the greenhouses for his Herbology exam. The exam was out-of-doors due to the fact that the fifth years were using the Great Hall. Frank and Alice were somewhere behind him, Peter was at the front of his row, and Josey sat a few chairs away; she and Antoine were right next to each other. He rolled his eyes as they glanced lovingly across the aisle at each other.

Their relationships made the man wonder if he would ever meet someone who would be able to accept the werewolf inside him and love him. He hoped so.

He thought of James and Lily, Sirius and Nikeia, Frank and Alice, and the two lovebirds to his right, and was jealous of their relationships.

He shook his head to clear it of the thoughts that had taken up two minutes of valuable exam time. The Herbology exam was not very difficult, but there were enough funnily-worded questions that he needed to keep focused, like Dumbledore said. He sighed and wrote in another answer. He chuckled as he remembered all the exams he had sat for whilst being inside the large, stone school. All those hours of studying, or telling James and Sirius what to do, or telling Peter to stop watching James showing off for Lily. All those hours spent planning pranks, or laughing at Sirius's and James's stupidity. All those hours spent running through the Forest, or shrieking in the old house in Hogsmeade, or nursing cuts and scratches from the previous night.

He would miss the three of them. He fiddled with his quill, turning it over and over in his fingers. The fact that all the feathers had been stripped off the quill except for the last inch or so made this an easy deed. There was a black spot on the first knuckle of his middle finger from where excess ink had clung to it instead the quill. He wondered if he would ever live a day without getting ink on his fingers. And yet, for all the clean fingers in the world, he didn't think he could ever give up using a quill. There was a certain look of elegance to them. And anyway, he had clean fingernails—not so easy when taking Herbology.

He covered his eyes with his hand, laughing at his strange train of thought.

_Train_. The word caused him to pause and think some more about the fast-looming future after the train from his school.

What would he do? Who would accept a werewolf at their job? He wondered if anyone would. The thought was not a pleasant one.

An image of five people sitting on a white-brocade bedspread with a holly-garlanded fireplace burning merrily behind them made his face break into a grin. A voice—not unlike Lily's—said, "_You'll have your friends, Remus John Lupin. You'll have your friends. And they love you. And they'll he__lp you through whatever happens."_

He finished his exam with a contented smile.

Nikeia Wong sighed in frustration as she adjusted her telescope. Lily stood next to her, and gave her a warm smile. Nikeia pulled a face and mimed stabbing her star chart with her quill.

She heard Lily hastily stifle a snort; she had to quickly quell her own.

She hardened her face as the Astronomy Examiner came around and raised an eyebrow at her. She wondered how many people had that ability… It seemed she had seen _many_ people here do it; Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, McGonagall, maybe Dumbledore. She shrugged, and pressed her eye to the eyepiece.

She saw Canis Majoris, and smiled when she picked out the brightest star in the constellation, Sirius. A warm feeling entered her stomach, causing her to bite her lip to fight the smile. Never had she imagined that she would be going with Sirius Black for so many months. Since October, in fact. Eight months. Eight wonderful months. The number scared her a little, in fact. A doubt arose in her mind; had Sirius been completely faithful to her? He had never been one for staying with a girl for more than a month; that had been was the longest ever. That little guy in the back of her mind (that looked a bit like her boyfriend) spoke, _Tsk, tsk, tsk. Sirius has been with you for eight months;_ that's _the longest ever!_ She mentally poked him with her quill. He toppled backwards and disappeared from sight. She chuckled haughtily, but silently.

She looked back up at the stars. She would be almost sorry to give up this class; stars like this weren't visible from inside London. She would miss being able to sneak out of her dormitory and sneak up to this tower to watch the stars move across the sky. Of course, it was the earth moving, but when one came down to it, what difference did it _really_ make?

She smiled faintly when she remembered her conversation with Sirius up here after Christmas. She had loved that time together so much. They had had similar conversations since then. Well, some of them were conversations. Her face heated with the memory of what they had done when they weren't talking.

_Snoggin'!_ said that little voice, smoothly and suavely. Nikeia glared at it; it ducked a renewed quill attack.

Nikeia wondered what role Sirius would play in her future life. She loved him, she was _nearly_ sure of that. There was just the question: Would she marry him? Could she marry him? Could she marry any man?

There had always been the idea in her mind that she would never marry.

She bit her lip again as she wondered if Sirius would break that idea. She was unsure. Perhaps she just had to wait until they were outside Hogwarts to tell for sure.

Nikeia sniffled, but returned to her star chart.

The head of the little man in her thoughts appeared hesitantly over the void; he pointed out a mistake on her chart. She chose to tickle him with a feather instead of poke him.

Peter Pettigrew swung his feet as he sat in yet another chair for yet another exam. Well, actually, he hadn't taken that many exams; this was his third, having already taken Defense and Herbology. They weren't very easy, but he had friends to help him with them.

"What is the most popular movie in modern-day Muggle America?" was the next question he read on his Muggle Studies exam paper. He scrunched up his brow; he knew this one! It had something to do with battles in the stars… _Ah ha!_ he thought, his face lighting up. _Star Wars_. He quickly filled in the bubble, and moved on to the next question.

As he did so, he felt an amount of pride in the fact that he was taking this exam all on his own. It was just him; he had received no help… okay, a very little amount of help… from friends. He lifted his chin up a little, and sat straighter with the knowledge.

His next thought made his lip curl in an uncomfortable feeling. How many other things would he be able to do on his own without his friends' help? He hoped there would be enough to make him feel like he wasn't completely worthless.

He scolded himself for thinking such a thing. Never mind that it was almost completely true; he shouldn't have such thoughts. After all, he was a Marauder; Marauders never looked down on themselves. They were bold and not afraid.

Peter took a deep breath, puffing out his chest, and held it for a few moments. He let it out slowly.

A question about Muggle fortune tellers made him think about his own fortune and future. He had to admit, his future was more important. Who would he be? Of course, he wanted to be someone great, but he was unsure if that was meant to be. He sighed again (he did that a lot) and returned to his exam.

Frank Longbottom and Alice Walker sat together on the grass by the lake. Their last exam had been the previous day so, along with a good number of the fifth and seventh years, they were spending their day outside in the sunshine.

Frank readjusted himself as he leaned against a tree. The bark wasn't the most comfortable. There was one especially sharp piece that was digging into his back. Alice must've felt his discomfort, for she turned around and asked him what was wrong.

She pulled her wand from her pocket and pointed it over Frank's head at the tree. She muttered something softly, and Frank smiled.

"Thank you," he said softly, as he leaned back against the tree again, which now was softer due to the Comfort Charm applied to its bark. Alice smiled broadly back, and returned to her position of leaning against his chest.

She sighed.

"What is it?" asked Frank, softly.

"Just thinking. After seven years, I… I don't know what I'll do without Hogwarts."

Frank nodded. "But, you've got me. Why do you need Hogwarts?"

Though he could only see a bit of the red tingeing her cheeks, he definitely saw that her ears flared bright red. He chuckled.

"I'm glad I've got you," she muttered, turning again so that she could see his whole face. She reached up to run a hand through his curly brown hair. "I love your hair," she whispered. Frank grinned.

"I love you."

Alice blushed again, and nodded. "I love you, too." She smiled again at him, and then turned sideways so that she was able to rest her head against his neck. Her arm curled around behind his back. She resisted the temptation to tickle his side. Instead, she pointed out to a certain spot on the bank of the lake. "Remember there?"

Frank's chest shook with his laughter. "Of course I do. It's where I first gathered up the courage to hold your hand and kiss you." He pointed to a spot on the lake. "Remember sliding around on the ice?"

Alice nodded. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"Oh, now you say sorry! What… six…" Frank lifted his hands, and wiggled his fingers, counting off the months. "Seven… _almost_ _eight_… months later?"

"Has it really been eight months?" asked Alice, amazed. Frank counted on his fingers again, and then nodded.

They looked at each other and laughed.

Frank tipped her over and laid her against the grass. He placed a lingering but gentle kiss to her lips, and then lay down besides her, propping his head against his hand. His other hand grabbed both of hers, and held them against her stomach.

They were silent as they watched students walk around the lake, or play in the water.

Frank spoke: "Are you still sure you want to become an Auror?"

Alice thought for a moment, and then said, "After facing V-Voldemort that one day over break, I realized that I don't want to ever have to face him again. At least, not without knowing _exactly_ what I am doing. Studying to be an Auror will prepare me for that. I'll become an Auror for myself, for my father… for you. If I ever I have to face him again, that is. And I don't think anyone else should have to fight him. I want to stop him."

The quiet anger in her voice made Frank look hard at her profile. "I'll be happy to have someone I know with me, learning to do all that. It's not going to be easy, you know?"

Alice nodded slowly. "Yes, I know. That's why I'm going to do it; because it won't be easy. Challenges lie ahead for us, and I want to be prepared."

Frank leaned over and kissed her cheek. Alice showed off the fact that she was a bold Gryffindor by taking a gentle hold of his chin and bringing it down for another kiss. He was starting to grow a beard; she liked the feel of it in her hand and how it made him look older. She continued to kiss him as she flipped over and pinned him to the ground. Frank didn't retaliate; he was too busy responding to her kiss.

And then, OWLs and NEWTs were completed. Finals for the other five years had been completed the following day. Therefore, all of the students were free from worrying about any more schoolwork. Teachers had a few more essays to grade and finals to correct, but even they were taking it slow. Windows were open all throughout the castles, letting stuffy classrooms and soon-to-be empty dormitories breathe.

Filch was attempting to do a final cleaning of the entire school, but Peeves, of course, was reeking havoc. Sirius and James cheered him on completely. At least, they did until Filch heard, frog-marched them to McGonagall, and demanded that they get a detention. McGonagall only glared at Filch, and told James and Sirius to get out of her office. They heard Filch spluttering as they backed out of the office. Sirius was being dramatic and blowing kisses to McGonagall. She raised her eyebrow and flicked her wand. A book flew off the shelf and starting hitting him. James laughed and winked at McGonagall as Sirius ran out. She inclined her head to him, and then went back to glaring at Filch.

Lily could only glare at her boyfriend for encouraging the poltergeist. He pretended to be chastised, but Lily knew better. There had been times when he had come back to the common room late; she had the suspicion that just because he was with her now, it hadn't stopped him from hexing a few Slytherins or managing mischief. And yet, proof of her newfound love in James was that she didn't really mind that much anymore.

Outside, sitting under the shade of the beech tree that was the Marauder's favorite, curled against James, she sighed.

"That sounded full of emotion. What's up, Lils?" asked Nikeia. She and Sirius were sitting on a conjured bench of wicker wood, cuddled just as closely together as Lily and James.

"Nothing much. Just thinking about how it doesn't really matter to me that James still hexes Slytherins in the hallways even though he knows I don't like it."

Lily kept her face straight as everyone but Sirius started laughing. James tensed behind her; Sirius's stricken face said that James wasn't the only one that hexed Slytherins.

"Lily, darling, I…"

"Don't try to explain James. I said it doesn't really matter. I can't change you completely. And I wouldn't want to."

James smiled, though Lily couldn't see it, and kissed her ear. She squirmed.

"I really hate it when you do that," she muttered. She rubbed her ear.

"I know," chuckled James.

The others around them shook their heads at the couple.

"Sirius," said Antoine, looking up from Josey's face. They were laying on the ground much like Frank and Alice had done the previous day, with Antoine on his side next to Josey, on her back. "I noticed you were beaming like a person hit with an over-zealous Cheering Charm earlier at breakfast. What was that about?"

The others looked over to Sirius.

"I was wondering what that was about, too," admitted Frank. Alice was leaning back against his legs as he propped himself on his arms. "It was a rather scary grin, if I may say so."

Peter stopped playing with blades of grass as he lay on his stomach to nod vigorously. "It was a grin I'd seen before, but that didn't make it any less scary. Why _were_ you so happy?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes at Peter. He turned to the rest of the group. "I got a letter from my uncle; he's giving me money. I'm going to use it to buy myself a flat. Probably just a small one in London."

Lily smiled broadly. "Good. I remember you mentioning something about it. I'm glad he came through for you."

"Wait," said Antoine, confused. "I thought your family… you know…"

"Hates me?" asked Sirius, without anger. "Yeah, I assume you're right. Uncle Alphard will probably be blasted off the family tree for doing this. He always liked me. I'm happy to say the feeling is mutual."

"They can't hate you, can they?" asked Josey.

Sirius nodded. "I'm different. I'm not a Slytherin, I'm not going to immerse myself in the Dark Arts, and I disobeyed my parents and ran away from home… Different _and_ hated. I've gotten used to it."

Nikeia squeezed his waist tightly. He placed a gentle kiss to her silky black hair.

"What about a job? You gonna get one of those?" asked Antoine.

Sirius shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to see how much Uncle Alphard is going to give me." He chuckled with the others.

"What about studying for something? Like being an Auror?" asked Frank.

Sirius shrugged again. "Being an Auror never had much appeal to me. Plus, I've never been one for studying, even though I am naturally brilliant."

The others laughed again. Nikeia pinched his leg. Sirius continued, "You and Alice are going to go through with being Aurors?"

The two addressed young adults nodded.

"And then get married, right?"

They blushed brilliantly as everyone laughed again. Nikeia pinched Sirius's thigh again, but couldn't keep back her own smile.

"And what about you and Nikeia?" fired back Alice. Nikeia and Sirius just shrugged and looked at each other.

"We'll see what happens."

"Well, then, I guess we know for sure that six people sitting here are going to get married one day," murmured Remus, just loud enough for everyone to hear. The six people looked with narrowed eyes at Remus, but didn't contest the matter.

"James, what are you going to do?" asked Sirius, after he got done laughing at the others.

James shrugged. "To be completely honest, I don't really _need_ a job or anything. One of the perks of being from an ancient Pureblood family, I guess," he said lightly. Everyone chuckled appreciatively. They had always known that James was well off; he always had new robes—except for his Quidditch practice clothes, and none of his books were second-hand. But, for all that he was a rich boy, he didn't act pompous. Any more, at least.

"And I'm sure Lily loves that," said Sirius with a smirk.

"You know I don't care about how much money he has," retorted Lily, using her wand to flick a small stone at Sirius. It hit his knee, and he glared at the young woman.

"I should throw you in the lake," he threatened. Lily only laughed.

"We should all go for one last swim in the lake," Alice suggested, getting up from the ground. "What about it?" she asked as she reached down to help Frank get to his feet. Everyone else looked to each other, and shrugged. Why not?

"Last one dressed and back out here gets thrown in!" cried Sirius, dashing off back to the castle. Everyone else gave gasps of surprise and starting running after him.

All except for Lily, James and Remus, that is. They looked at each other, and smiled. They pulled out their wands and cleverly Transfigured their clothing to swimwear. Other flicks conjured soft towels.

Ten minutes later, nearly everyone was again assembled under the beech tree Sirius ran up, panting, one minute after Nikeia.

"Couldn't find my towel!" he panted. Then, he caught sight of James, Remus and Lily; they were in the same position as before. He glared at them. Then his face changed to a look of annoyed exasperation.

"Oh, I get it. Out-smart Sirius. One last time, right?" He kicked James's shin lightly.

"Well, if you'd use your brain, Padfoot…" James said, Smirking. He stood up slowly, helping Lily at the same time. He looked slowly over to the others.

"He _was_ the last one here…"

Sirius's eyes widened, as he started backing up towards the lake. The others walked faster toward him. He turned, threw down his towel and ran onto the pier.

He laughed as he jumped off the end.

The others laughed, and followed him into the lake.

For one last time…

**Author's Notes:** Considering we know so little about the seventh year, I used the OWL year as reference.

**My original (abridged) Author's Notes:** It was hard to write this, just so you all know… I mean… As I wrote this (or thought about writing it) I realized… I'm ending it soon. That was a hard pill to swallow. I mean… I can't explain. Write your own story and tell me how you feel. :-S

"Star Wars" was released May of 1977, so that is a completely valid thing to have in this story, if anyone was wondering. I did look it up, just as I had to look up the name of Sirius's blasted uncle. Pun intended. :D


	50. The End

**Chapter notes: **At the time of my writing this note, before re-editing this chapter, there is less than an hour until the first midnight showing of Deathly Hallows Part two, at least in my time zone. That's pretty emotional… This was tough to write the first time, tough to edit the first time, and tough to re-edit now.

**Original Author's Notes:** "I mean, I loved the writing. But aside of the writing- it staggers me that so many people have loved them and what's better than that? Nothing's better than that." JKR…. Thank you… that's exactly how I feel. Took the words right from my mouth. Nothing is better…

As with the last chapter, this was hard to write. Oh. While writing, I had this mentality that I had to write something meaningful, and deep, and spectacular. Not sure this came off the way I envisioned it, but *sigh* not everything can be perfect. Not that I'm saying some things are…. But read, and hopefully you'll like it. :-)

**Chapter Fifty – The End**

About forty seventh-years stood at the front of the Great Hall, facing Dumbledore and the Heads of the Houses. The parents and siblings of the soon-to-be-graduates sat behind them. The rest of the school was lounging in their common rooms or out on the grounds. They were enjoying the end of the term and the end of the school year.

"Seventh years," started Dumbledore, looking along the row of wizards and witches. "You are about to graduate and leave Hogwarts forever. At least, most of you will leave forever. Many of you will send your students here, to experience the same things you did. Even some of you will return as teachers. But, that is not why we are here. We are here to say goodbye. You will soon embark on the journeys of the rest of your lives. Be careful; the times are dark, but not for naught have you received the best education possible. Of course," he started, with a twinkle in his eyes, "Others will debate that matter."

Appreciative chuckles broke out.

Dumbledore became serious again. "After you walk these hallways for the last time, I must ask you to be wary of what is around you. Be wary of the things you do, and who you become acquainted with. And yes, hold on to those closest to you. Keep your friends and families close. Rely on them. We will all need friends by our sides in the coming times. Dark times, but they will be right one day. And while you have friends near you, I trust this darkness will not seem so very dark."

He glanced around once more, smiling at them all gently over the top of his half-moon spectacles. He paused for a moment when he came to the Marauders and their closest friends. They all beamed back at him. His gaze moved on. The Slytherins, when he came to them, stared back without smiles.

"With the completion of your schooling come new responsibilities. You will face new challenges, new obstacles. Take what you already know and add to it that which you will learn. I'm afraid these responsibilities must be learned on your own; they are different for each of you. It was long ago when I myself just came of age." He stood straighter and spoke stronger, despite the brief shadow that flitted across his aged face. "Remember that your choices make you who you are more so than your actions. Make right choices, and if you make the wrong ones, learn from your past to make your future." With that, Dumbledore nodded to the forty-or-so students; they applauded and cheered loudly. Dumbledore turned to his four colleagues and gestured them forward.

McGonagall, all the way on the left, spoke first. "Gryffindors, as trying and frustrating as it has been-" she glared at four young men in the first row; they bowed amid laughter from their classmates- "I would not change a thing. It has been an honor to guide you, and I hope that you will make your house proud through your courage." She paused. "And, try not to show too much courage. Moral fiber sometimes comes across as thickness." Her Gryffindors laughed loudly and applauded as she stepped back. She bestowed upon them a genuine smile; a rare smile.

Professor Sprout spoke next to her students. "I thank you, for yet another good year. Continue to bring your loyalty to the world; it is something that will be important in the days to come. Stand close to your friends, and reach out to those around you. Let them know that through diligence and loyalty we can continue to move forward." She bowed to them, holding her hat on her frizzy brown hair. Her students cheered and applauded.

Flitwick, standing on the seat of his chair, smiled at his collection of students. In his small voice, he said, "May your knowledge guide you and your wisdom help you. Forsake not your studies, and remain ever vigilant in your search for who you are. Remember, always, that your wand movements are incredibly important! And, _carpe diem_." His students laughed at his Latin phrase and applauded again.

Slughorn, in a vibrant orange vest (and deep purple trousers) stepped up, a jovial smile on his plump face. "Dearest Slytherins, I repeat the sentiments of my colleagues, and wish you the best in your life. Remember that you are cunning; you can achieve great things with such talents as you have. I look forward to hearing from you all as you go out and do the great things of which you are capable." The Slytherins applauded politely, to which Slughorn beamed proudly and bowed.

Dumbledore stepped forward again, and waved his wand. In front of each teacher appeared a stack of scrolls. One by one, the Heads gave them out to their students. As this task neared its completion, the mutterings of happiness grew louder. When it was complete, everyone raised their voices as one and cheered.

The graduates turned and bowed to the parents and siblings. As one body, they threw their hats into the air and shouted loudly. The Slytherins were a bit more reserved in their cheering; the Gryffindors were the loudest.

Dumbledore lifted his hands and the cheering died down slower than usual.

"If you will indulge me for a moment, I have one more thing to say." He paused, and perused the crowd. "Nitwit… oddment… blubber, and tweak."

The students laughed and clapped.

Then, they turned to their parents and brothers and sisters.

Tomorrow would be their last full day and then they would board the Hogwarts Express the following day after lunch and travel home. The Great Hall emptied slowly; students walked with their parents around the school, or went back up to their dorms to change for another day outside.

Frank, Alice, Josey, Antoine, and Peter said a brief goodbye to the other Marauders, Nikeia and Lily outside the Great Hall. They were leaving to take their families on tour of the school. The other five decided to go outside, along with the minority of the seventh year class that did not have family to take around. Lily wanted to go and clean out her dorm room ("Why leave it for tomorrow? We'll be rushed!"), but James stared her down and dragged her outside.

They sat quietly beside the lake. Only when Samuel and Monica came out from the castle after spending time with other friends, and found them all, did anyone speak.

"Congratulations!" the two children cried. The seventh years smiled gratefully at them. Sam pulled his camera out from his pocket and requested that everyone get a bit closer together. With grumbles (that were really only half-hearted) the five adults moved closer, and smiled. Sam caught the picture just as the other five members of their usual group came out of the school.

"What's this?" shouted Antoine. "You take a picture of them without me? Maybe you won't make such a good Quidditch player."

"Remember, Antoine, that Gryffindor Quidditch players all have big heads filled with fluff and wrackspurts. They don't think before they act," quipped Josey, moving away from her boyfriend and sitting down next to Lily. James, Antoine and Sam were all looking at her with wide, shocked eyes.

"Unless they're thinking about acting something out on the pitch," threw in Lily.

James pushed himself away from her side, a look of disgust on his handsome features. She laughed.

"You'll get over it—that's another trait of Quidditch players."

"Actually, Lils, I wouldn't say that was true. They can hold grudges for a long time," said Nikeia.

It so happened that at that moment Severus Snape walked past them, many meters away. James growled softly in his throat. Lily elbowed him softly.

"You're right about those grudges," she said to Nikeia. Nikeia nodded, then turned to Sam.

"Come on! You and Monica can get into the picture—leave the camera there by a Levitation Charm. Hurry up!"

Sam rolled his eyes, Levitated the camera, and activated the timer. Quickly, the other six people ran into the photo, all jumbling next to each other to get inside the frame of their last group photo.

The next day was spent cleaning out their dorms that had housed them for seven years.

Lily and James enjoyed watching and reminiscing as their friends tidied up the large dormitories. Lily had made James clean his dorm before walking over to Gryffindor Tower.

The girls' dorm was mostly cleaned by lunchtime. After lunch, the Marauders, Frank and Antoine were watched over by the four girls as they completed their task; the four women did not trust them to do a thorough job.

Indeed, Peter's idea (and Sirius's as well) of cleaning was to Summon everything that was his to him. That only resulted with him toppling over from the amount of things that flew from under bed—inside nightstand drawers—from the bathroom, and other various places. The girls had a right laugh over that.

James, who had tried this in his own room, did not warn Sirius and Peter of what would happen, not wanting to deprive himself of a good laugh.

By dinner, the boy's dorm was cleaned well enough. They joined the rest of the school for the last meal of the year in the Great Hall. The meal, of course, was excellent, even by house elf standards.

At the end, Dumbledore stood and announced that the winner of the House Cup was Gryffindor, thanks in part to their win at the final Quidditch match. The decorations around the room changed to a scarlet and gold, and the Gryffindors cheered. Dumbledore then drew attention to the black strips of fabric that hung beside the Gryffindor crest at the front of the hall, as memorials to those who had lost family during the school year. The school was silent; they all knew someone to whom this sad event had happened, or had lost family themselves. James wrapped an arm around Lily's waist and squeezed gently. She put her hand atop his, and held it firmly.

With a brief "goodnight" from Dumbledore, the Great Hall emptied.

The ten Gryffindors whose bonds of friendship had only grown stronger over the year found comfort in sitting by the cheery fire in the Head's common room. They talked, and laughed, and ate the last bit of contraband Honeyduke's sweets. When Sirius unwrapped a piece of caramel, Josey ran off to find Monica and Sam; Sirius challenged James to another Shutter-Upper Contest. It took Sirius nearly ten minutes to get his mouth unstuck in the first round; Monica said that Honeyduke's changed their Triple Sticky Caramel formula. Sirius mumbled that he thought she had found a better charm.

Lily stood looking around at her old dorm room. Her bed was second from the far wall, between Nikeia's and Josey's.

Crossed arms slipped over the back of her shoulders. Another cheek pressed itself against hers.

Lily was used to this move from Nikeia, so she just smiled and leaned back into her friend.

"You haven't done that for a while," Lily said.

"Well, James usually has his arm around you, so I can never get a hug in edgewise!" laughed Nikeia. Lily had to admit that it was true. "What are you doing up here?"

"Just looking… Part of me wished that as Head Girl I didn't have a separate dormitory. I missed staying up late with you three. I know I came back a few times, but it doesn't seem enough, now."

"Staying up late?" cried Nikeia, right in Lily's ear. The redhead winced. "You make it sound like we did it all the time! You always made us go to sleep early!"

"I did not!"

Nikeia turned Lily slightly to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"All right: on weeknights I made you all go to sleep early," Lily conceded.

"And on weekends."

"I did not!"

"Lily… don't try to lie. You did."

Lily faced forward again, still leaning against Nikeia, who was also leaning forward against Lily. "Fine," Lily huffed.

"Thank you. Sirius doesn't give up arguments so easily."

"I never would've guessed," drawled Lily.

Nikeia squeezed her.

"Come on. We should head down to the Great Hall. We've got brunch, and then we're off."

Lily sighed. Nikeia repeated her mournful sound.

"'And then we're off.' What final-sounding words."

"Well, they are."

"You think you'll ever be back?" asked Lily, looking over her shoulder into her friend's face. They were so close that Lily almost wasn't able to focus.

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we?"

"You know something?" Lily said. "That sounds great."

They smiled again. Nikeia stepped out from behind Lily and put her arm around the other woman's waist. Lily wrapped her arm around Nikeia's shoulders and they looked around the room once more.

"I'll miss it."

"Yeah. I will too."

Together, they turned and started down the dorm steps.

At the simple brunch, Dumbledore announced that their luggage was being taken down to the train as they ate, and that the train would leave precisely at eleven. Then, he gave the final goodbye.

"Students, it has been another splendid year, and one that none of us will forget, I'm sure. Though for an old man like me forgetting is rather easy."

Everyone laughed, even though they had had suspicions about just how "poor" Dumbledore's memory was.

"Gather your last articles from your dorms, and then make your way down to the carriages. Farewell." Dumbledore sat back down in his chair, and smiled benignly as the Great Hall emptied.

He hoped they would all be well.

The scarlet train was in the station when the students arrived in the carriages that James knew to pulled by thestrals. Not that he could see them; the Gamekeeper Hagrid had told him about the invisible creatures.

Their train ride was not eventful, nor any different from any other return trip. The seventh years did, however, look back at Hogwarts from their compartment until they could no longer see the castle.

"Well," said James, "That's it. The last time."

Everyone nodded.

Sirius broke the silence that descended on them. "So… who's up for a game of Exploding Snap?" He began digging through his bag for the deck of cards.

A game was started, and lasted quite a while. The Trolley Lady came around and a large selection of treats was bought by their compartment, in an effort to remember their last purchase from the Trolley.

Sam came in, when they were not far from London, to hand out thick packets. When opened, everyone saw that they were full with pictures from the year that could be added to the albums he and Monica gave out at Christmas. Sam was nearly suffocated by hugs from all the girls. (A suspicious little Smirk suggested that he really did enjoy the attention.) The men just rolled their eyes at their girls' displays, and thanked Sam over their heads. The rest of the ride was spent perusing the photos, and laughing.

And then the train pulled into the station with screeching brakes and jets of steam. Everyone shared last glances, grabbed their luggage and bags, and stepped off the train.

On the platform, Josey was greeted by her mother and her brother Timmy, and Frank and Alice by their parents, who exchanged knowing smiles when they saw their children walking toward them, hand in hand. Frank and Alice hugged everyone quickly, making more promises to see each other soon.

Antoine stepped away from Josey to greet his father, an older version of their handsome, tanned classmate. He was quickly introduced to Josephine, and smiled the same smile that Frank and Alice's parents had.

Sam and Monica greeted their own parents, and after final hugs from the seventh years, they were led away, laughing, ready to enjoy their summers.

When Josephine had a moment, she came back to Lily and Nikeia (whose father stood behind her) and took their hands in hers.

"This is where it all started… This platform. Do you remember?" Josey posed.

The other two girls chuckled, and nodded. They had appeared on the platform at the same time—twenty minutes early—and in their hustle and bustle to get a good compartment, they ran into each other. Quite literally. They had felt an instant affinity (as well as the beginnings of a few bruises), and found a compartment together.

"Of course we remember, silly!" said Lily, squeezing Josey's side affectionately. Nikeia nodded, then reached out and hugged Josey. Lily moved forward, and joined in the hug.

"We'll see each other soon. I promise," said Lily, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Nik," said another man from behind Nikeia. She turned around and fell into Sirius's arms. Lily noticed that her father's eyebrows shot upward for a moment before he smiled.

"JO!" shouted Timmy, ever the impatient one. Josey turned around to shout back to her little brother.

"What?"

"Let's go! I've got a football match to get to! You're taking too long."

Josey rolled her eyes, and bestowed upon Lily a look of eternal suffering.

"Oh, brother."

Lily laughed. "I'll see you soon. I promise!"

"I know. It's just… Goodbye, you know?"

"Yeah, I do." Lily looked over at Timmy, who was dancing on the spot, anxious. "You better go before your little brother attacks you."

Josey muttered something about her attacking him, but she squeezed Lily once more. Then, she walked with Antoine and their two small families off the platform.

As Lily stood watching her go, arms wrapped themselves around Lily's waist, and she smiled up at her dear boyfriend. James gave her a squeeze, and then moved away with Sirius to say goodbye (but not farewell) to Remus and Peter.

From behind Nikeia's father, Lily saw Lauryn Ross, the sixth year who had warned her about Laila Albright. She called out to her, and the other girl turned around. She caught Lily's eye and waved. Isaac Hoffman, who had Lauryn's other hand in his own, turned to see to whom she was waving, then waved shyly himself. Lily walked up to her, and accepted the graduation congratulations. She then thanked Lauryn again for her help in the That Laila Girl affair.

When James came up to collect Lily, he smiled at Lauryn, also thanking her for her help. Lauryn blushed; after all, it wasn't every day you had a Marauder smile at you.

As Lily and James walked back to the Marauders and Nikeia, they said goodbye to a great many students. Lily had a word to say to each Gryffindor prefect she saw, and a special thank you to the girl, Abbi, who created a simple, but lovely, banner that had hung in the Gryffindor common the past few days.

When they finally rejoined their small group, Lily reached out to hug Peter, whose parents were waiting (rather impatiently) for him. He scuttled off, walking backwards and waving to them all.

Lily turned to Remus. She embraced him warmly, and kissed his cheek. He gently pressed his thumb against her cheek and smiled warmly, thanking her silently for the seven years of homework help and kindness, and the three years of being prefects together.

He chuckled wryly, saying, "You better get back to James or he'll get jealous."

Lily laughed at him, but left her arm in his as she turned them back towards the other three.

And then, it was just the five of them, standing on the almost empty Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters of the Hogwarts Express.

"Well," sighed Lily, looking at her other four friends.

"Well," repeated James, giving it a note of finality. "Let's go. Life awaits!" he finished, with a flourish of his hand. Nikeia and Lily laughed, and laughed harder when Sirius mimicked James's pomp and circumstance. James and Sirius began to walk off arm-in-arm, marching like two soldiers, when they realized Remus hadn't joined them. They immediately turned and pulled him into their marching line. He just sighed and went along with it, as he had happily and gratefully done the past seven years.

Nikeia and Lily looked at each other, sharing Josey's look of eternal suffering. Their looks broke, and they started laughing again.

"What a handful," sighed Nikeia.

"Yeah, but we love them," replied Lily, a fond tone in her voice. She paused. "Haven't we said that before?"

Nikeia paused, and thought as well. "You know… I think we have."

"It's probably not going to be the last time, is it?" asked Lily.

"No… probably not. Hopefully not."

They laughed again, before levitating all five pieces of luggage, and skipping, arm-in-arm, back toward the Muggle world.

Toward life.

**Author's Note after Re-Editing** **(July 2011): **Well, at the time of my writing this note, Deathly Hallows Part Two has been released for almost forty minutes at this time, and I'm beginning to get emotional. (You may find it odd that I'm not at a midnight showing, but I've never been one for midnight showings. I'm content to wait until the afternoon.)

Anyway, I thank you all for reading. I started writing this story over five years ago, posting it to Mugglenet first in my freshman year of high school. I fell in love with writing and fanfiction, and I found re-editing this now, after my sophomore year of college, to be enjoyable. I sincerely apologize for the great amount of grammatical and spelling errors in the original; all completely unforgivable, if you ask me. I hope you enjoyed the changes I made if you were a reader of the original; if this was your first time reading, I thank you immensely for taking the time to do so. I hope the story you read was enjoyable on many levels.

It's incredibly touching to know that this story has been enjoyed by so many fans of the Harry Potter series. You've all been wonderful, encouraging, and very obliging when I needed an ego boost. X'D Thanks to all of you readers and reviewers (especially those who were around from the beginning), and a big thanks to the three people, **fairiesandcream**,** violagirl**,and** Omagus,** who edited and nitpicked the original versions for me.

I'm working (slowly) on the story of Severus Snape and Stacey Wilson, and just getting ideas down for the Sam and Monica story I really want to write. I also have another story about some American Aurors that I definitely want to finish, but we'll see what happens. Now that this is edited (a task which I had been wanting to do for a great long time) I'll be able to work on other things. I'm even thinking about an epilogue to attach to this story…

Thanks again.

As JKR said at the London premiere of DH2, "The stories we love best do live in us forever, so whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

Emily (.Emilia aka LaneTechFreshie)

PS: Originally published on MNFF October 28, 2005. Last chapter published July 23, 2007.

Originally published on : July 31, 2006. Last chapter published: September 30, 2007

Minor edits finished October 29, 2010 (five years and one day after original publication).

Major (and final) edits finished July 15, 2011. Final FINAL round of editing finished July 21, 2011. These re-edits posted: July 22, 2011

PPS: I really liked DH part 2. I thought it was a great end... I think I'm going to go see it again this afternoon. Eeee! ;D


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